A study carried out by Julie Elie and colleagues at the UC-Berkeley found that zebra finches form same-sex monogamous relationships and are just as attached and faithful to each other as those paired with a member of the opposite sex.
When raised in male-only groups, more than half of the birds paired up in same-sex couplings. The birds first displayed courtship behavior by singing and preening each other. When bonded, they perch side by side, nestled together and greet each other by "nuzzling" beaks.
Interestingly, when females were introduced to the groups, five out of eight stuck with their gay partners and ignored the female.
“The findings indicate that, even in birds, the drive to find a mate is far more complicated than simply the need to reproduce. A pair-bond in socially monogamous species represents a cooperative partnership that may give advantages for survival," said Dr Elie. "Finding a social partner, whatever its sex, could be a priority."
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