国家地理 蓝脚鲣鸟（在线收听）

The mating ritual of each species on Earth has certain, well, peculiarities.

地球上每一个物种它们的交配惯例中都存在某种怪癖。

As you might tell it from the name of the species itself, blue-footed boobies are no exception to this rule.

从这个物种的名字你就可以看出，蓝脚鲣鸟也不例外。

Here in the Galapagos Islands, this pair of blue-footed boobies check each other out.

在加拉帕戈斯群岛，这一对蓝脚鲣鸟正在检查这彼此。

Now, what is the most important quality the female looks for in a male: good looks? A steady income? Beachfront property?

那么在寻找另一半时，雌性最看重的是什么：长得帅？收入稳定？海边小别墅？

Well, those are important, but they pale in comparison to having blue feet.

那些都很重要，但是与拥有一双蓝色脚掌相比，以上这些可就相形见绌了。

Hence, this dance- the revelation of foot color, so that the female will not by mistake mate with a red-footed booby, or even a crab-footed booby.

因此，这种舞姿—揭露了脚掌的颜色，所以雌性不会把它们和红脚鲣鸟或是蟹脚鲣鸟弄混。

Now, let's say though an iguana wanders into a booby land.

现在比如说，有只鬣蜥蜴在鲣鸟领地徘徊。

The boobies tend to breed where the marine iguana spend the night, so this iguana does have a reason to be here.

鲣鸟会海鬣蜥睡觉的地方繁育，所以鬣蜥蜴还是有理由呆在这里的。

Not that the boobies care. They force the poor iguana to run a gantlet of pecking beats.

这些鲣鸟并不在乎。它们会用嘴巴啄着可怜的鬣蜥蜴。

Hey, let me out of here, man! This is worse than a fraternity hazing.

啊，让我出去！这比兄弟会受欺辱还糟糕。

The iguana finds its way out, which I guess in this case, you could say is the,er, booby prize- aha, sorry.

鬣蜥蜴发现逃生出路，这种情况下，我猜你或许会说这怕不是一个安慰奖吧。