Most of the time in nature, males have the fancy costumes, intended to draw female attention and to intimidate other males. Zahavi and Zahavi wrote a book about such things. So did Helena Cronin and a generation that followed her.

Scott Sloan of WLW, 700AM, Cincinnati, has a website, www.OneQuickBeer.com, and alongside a lot of fun, a photographic lesson about the interaction of opportunities and genes.

Take a look. Give a thought….

http://onequickbeer.com/2010/10/29/t...see-today.aspx

References:
Cronin H (1991) The Ant and the Peacock: Altruism and Sexual Selection from Darwin to Today. NY: Cambridge
Darwin, C. (1874) Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Race 2nd Ed. London: John Murray
Judson, O. (2002) Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation. NY: Metropolitan.
Miller, G. (2000) The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature. NY: Doubleday.
Zahavi, A. & Zahavi, A. (1997) The Handicap Principle: A Missing Piece of Darwin’s Puzzle NY: Oxford.