ST.VALENTINE:GEOFREY CHAUCER'S PARLIAMENT OF FOWLS.PART 2

However,the differences in the festival dates worldwide can be linked to the birds'mating and courtship period which falls through similar Valentine period.You know the birds courtship takes weeks and startling evidences abound.For instance in New England,USA,when they first gather in the area after migration,depending on the type of birds of both gender,perhaps do not arrive together.Take for instance red winged blackbirds.Besides the Mallards(ducks) that come in pairs having selected patner in the prior fall,they arrive together in February.Mating plummage takes time in some birds to fully reflect,when some feathers colour change to drive attraction.Plummage is in full colour when both sexes are present.They tend to show off their prowess at nestprotection to the females that is when they go through a process of male sparing.This is particularly common with redwinged blackbird and it leads to selection of patners and nest building begins.It begins for Mallards in February when they move in pairs and by the