High school day was a hellish experience for some , where social hierarchies forced unneeded inter - clique tension . You might ’ve reflect , “ I wonder if my social relationships would be simpler as a flamingo ? ” As it happens , the result is no .
A novel study published in the journalBehavioural Processeshas detect that flamingo bod friendships with specific birds in their flock that last for old age . These buddy raspberry also appear to have enemies , as it appear there are specific birds that they will fight with and actively avoid . Flamingos are , essentially , all of us .
The 5 - year study by researchers from the University of Exeter in the UK observed four flamingo species from the WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre , also in the UK . It ply from 2012 - 2016 and looked at spate of Caribbean , Chilean , Andean and Lesser flamingos .
Their behavioural observation revealed that the birds were forming complex social bonds within the mickle . Relationships such as “ married ” couples , same - sex activity friendships , and friends in groups of three to four wench were seen within all four coinage . The flock sizes varied from 20 to 140 members strong , and the researchers celebrate that larger flocks exhibit a eminent number of societal family relationship and interaction . The team speculate that this demonstrates the grandness of large numbers in absorbed populations to conserve the social Bond that evidently are an crucial part of flamingo living .
The police squad serving communal look .
" Our outcome designate that flamingo societies are complex . They are formed of long - stand friendships rather than loose , random connections , " order Dr Paul Rose , of the University of Exeter in astatement . “ flamingo do n’t only find oneself a mate and expend their time with that mortal . Some mating couples spend much of their meter together , but lots of other social bonds also exist . ”
acquaintance would “ hang out ” to primp in a group , and this behavior was seen in same - sex relationships with multiple member showing the desire to be together is n’t purely based on snarl opportunity . That said , socialisation was seasonal as a high telephone number of interactions take place in the spring and summer breeding season compare to other times of the year .
" You ca n’t sit with us , " - Catty Slimbridge flamingos since 1960 .
Flamingos have an average biography brace of 40 years in the wild but can survive into their 60s in captivity . The researchers say that some of the birds at the WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre have been there since the 1960s , and the findings show that throughout their longsighted lives these friendships have been sustained . Indeed their penury for a crony was certainly seen in the case of anescapee Lesser flamingo , which after 10 years on the getaway from its zoo in Kansas was spotted in Texas having made booster with a Caribbean flamingo .
" It seems that – like humans – flamingo form social bond for a variety of reasons , and the fact they ’re so long - lasting hint they are crucial for endurance in the wild , ” said Dr Rose . " When moving Bronx cheer from one zoo to another , we should be deliberate not to sort out flamingos that are closely bonded to each other . ”
Enjoy the lofty coupling terpsichore of the Slimbridge shopping mall ’s flamingos which , thanks to a heatwave in 2018,started pairing for the first fourth dimension in two decades .
