Flamingos form long-lasting friendships and some "behave like married couples", according to new research.
A study led by the University of Exeter has shown that the birds tend to spend time with close friends, despite being part of large flocks.
The team also found that some of the birds also avoid certain flamingos.
The findings, published in the journal Behavioural Processes, suggest the existence of a nuanced societal structure among the birds.
Dr Paul Rose, of the University of Exeter, said: “Our results indicate that flamingo societies are complex.
“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.”
The team carried out a five-year study of four flamingo species – Caribbean, Chilean, Andean and Lesser – at the WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire.
The flocks varied in size from just over 20 to more than 140.
The team said they found evidence of “long-lasting friendships rather than loose, random connections” among the birds, with larger flocks showing the highest level of social interactions.
Social bonds also included “married” couples, same-sex associations and even groups of three and four close friends, the researchers said.
Dr Rose said: “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.”
Dr Rose said the findings could help zoos manage captive flamingos.
“When moving birds from one zoo to another, we should be careful not to separate flamingos that are closely bonded to each other,” he said
