News Section | Developmental Biology

Gay zebra finches bond as strongly as heterosexual counterparts

Monday, August 15th, 2011

Homosexual pairs of zebra finches enjoy bonds that are as strong as those paired with members of the opposite sex, scientists have found.

The insight comes from a study, which found that zebra finches – sing to their mates, a performance thought to strengthen the pair”s bond.

Now, scientists have found that same-sex pairs of finches sang to and preened each other just like heterosexual pairs.

Lead researcher Julie Elie from the University of California Berkeley and her colleagues, Clementine Vignal and Nicolas Mathevon from the University of Saint-Etienne, raised young finches in same-sex groups. More than half of the birds paired up with another bird of the same sex.

The team then closely monitored the birds for signs that they had bonded fully.

Bonded birds, Dr Elie explained, perch side by side, nestled together. They also greet each other by “nuzzling” beaks.

According to Elie, 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,” the BBC quoted Dr Elie as saying.

“Finding a social partner, whatever its sex, could be a priority,” she added.

The study has been published in the journal Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology.

Disclaimer: Bioscholar is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The articles are based on peer reviewed research, and discoveries/products mentioned in the articles may not be approved by the regulatory bodies.

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