Date: April 14, 2020
Source: University of Exeter
Flamingos form friendships that last for years, new research shows.
The five-year study reveals that, despite being highly social as part of large flocks, flamingos consistently spend time with specific close "friends."
They also avoid certain individuals, suggesting some flamingos just don't get on.
The University of Exeter study examined four flamingo species at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, and found social bonds including "married" couples, same-sex friendships and even groups of three and four close friends.
"Our results indicate that flamingo societies are complex. They are formed of long-standing friendships rather than loose, random connections," said Dr Paul Rose, of the University of Exeter.
"Flamingos don't simply find a mate and spend their time with that individual.
"Some mating couples spend much of their time together, but lots of other social bonds also exist.
"We see pairs of males or females choosing to 'hang out', we see trios and quartets that are regularly together.
"Flamingos have long lives -- some of the birds in this study have been at Slimbridge since the 1960s -- and our study shows their friendships are stable over a period of years.
"It seems that -- like humans -- flamingos form social bonds for a variety of reasons, and the fact they're so long-lasting suggests they are important for survival in the wild."
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