Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Think of couples in the Bible that seemed to have little in common. We could start with Samson and Delilah. It seems they had different objectives from the very start. Ahab and Jezebel came from different religious and cultural backgrounds as did Esther and Ahasuerus. Isaac and Rebecca faced the challenge of age disparity as he was 40 when they first met, and, according to Jewish tradition, she was but 14. Nabal and Abigail didn’t see eye to eye on how tightly the purse strings should be held, and Hosea and Gomer, well, they were just different. Some would suggest that opposites attract, and while there may be a gram of truth in that statement, I’m pretty sure the odds-makers wouldn’t bet on it.
When offering that pearl of wisdom, it’s quite likely the reference was directed first and foremost to physical appearances. And nature can certainly offer us many examples of this. Ducks and those in the pheasant family are almost all dimorphic with the plumage of male and female differing dramatically. But this also occurs sporadically in many other families. In these cases, it often appears like the female got the short end of the stick, but I’d be hard pressed to select a winner between the male and female Great Curassow. Each has features we, and apparently the curassows themselves, find attractive. The female’s plumage is variable, coming in three morphs, while the male is consistently black. Visually, I think I’d have to vote for the barred crest and tail of the female over the male’s yellow knob on the bill.
But, just as with humans, there are more important considerations than just appearance. A monogamous species that may live up to 24 years, both partners must show themselves to be dependable. The male may seek to attract a female’s attention by building a nest, or in other cases they will construct the small nest together. Twenty days after the eggs hatch fledging occurs, followed soon after by independence, but the young may remain with the family for an extended period of time. When threatened by hunting, illegal pet trafficking, competition from introduced species, fire or hurricanes, survival needs more than just a pretty face.