Seven Chilean flamingos with smooth white feathers have been residing at a zoo in the southwest of England since 2018. Two male flamingos named Arthur and Curtis have successfully incubated an egg together.
Two same-sex flamingos standing on a mound to incubate an egg.
Pete Smallbones, the bird curator at Paignton Zoo in the UK, stated: “It’s likely that this egg was already in the nest, and they seized the opportunity. We are well aware that flamingos, penguins, and other species can form same-sex pairs. During the breeding season, pairs of birds often spend more time together and follow each other around the enclosure, taking turns incubating eggs. However, for a same-sex pair to have an egg to incubate this year is quite rare.”
Chilean flamingos are very selective when breeding. In the wild, observations show that this species avoids breeding for up to nine years as they wait for suitable weather and environmental conditions. Even in zoos, where their preferred mud nests are provided, they often do not breed annually.
Although these two males are the only known same-sex pair in the zoo this breeding season, according to a press release, the zoo is likely to welcome more chicks this year as several eggs are still being incubated.
In the wild, flocks of Chilean flamingos can number in the hundreds during the breeding season. Paignton Zoo in the UK currently has 26 female flamingos and 25 male flamingos, indicating a sufficient number of females for the males to pair with.
According to a study in June 2020, flamingos often engage in non-breeding relationships, including same-sex relationships. These birds tend to be very particular about whom they spend time with and actively seek out certain individuals in the flock while avoiding others.
Research on the occurrence of same-sex pairs in the wild can provide further insight into the potential adaptive benefits of this behavior, such as if a wild flamingo loses its mate but has an egg to care for. This demonstrates that animals are very dynamic when motivated to do something at a specific time of year or season.
