Flamingos are one of the most interesting types of birds that exist, they are known for their necks, long legs and a beautiful pink plumage. Recently, a scientific study revealed that these birds form lasting friendships with each other, and that they are very loyal to the bond or relationship they decide to establish.

Paul Rose, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Exeter in the UK, was commissioned to carry out the research.

It was known that relationships between flamingos can be between friends of the same sex, mating partners, or groups of three to six. It was also possible to establish that flamingos like to form this type of relationship, and when they choose someone, they do it in the long term.

Flamingos make friends for life

Paul, determined to find out the relationships of the flamingos, was in charge of collecting data from four flocks, between the years 2012 to 2016.

The four flocks were Caribbean, Chilean, Andean, and smaller herds living at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Slimbridge Wetland Center in Gloucestershire. These flocks are differentiated by the number of their individuals, but their behavior and structure is considered to be very similar to wild groups.

After collecting the data, Paul observed that flamingos create selective and stable friendships, characterized by staying together for decades. It is very likely that the strong bonds created by flamingos will last for many years, and even decades, as these birds can live up to 50 years.

Paul dijo a National Geographic:

“The fact that they are so durable suggests that these relationships are important for survival in the wild.”

These pink birds have a behavior very similar to humans in terms of social relationships, they even tend to carefully avoid certain individuals.

Paul said:

“One way to reduce stress and fighting is to avoid those birds that you don’t get along with.”

Understanding the behavior of birds in relation to their social life can help conservationists better care for captive and wild flamingos.

To carry out this research, Paul photographed the flocks daily during the four seasons, evaluating those birds that were permanently reunited.

Most birds have identification rings on their legs, which made it easy to identify the flamingos in each flock. In the middle of the investigation, Paul was able to define neck length as a measure of friendship, since they use it to defend themselves.

Paul established that birds that are less than a neck apart are considered friends, and therefore maintain close contact. The opposite occurs with birds that are more than one neck apart, as they are considered to belong to separate subgroups.

Flamingos are generally divided into subgroups within each flock, the larger the flock, the more subgroups there are. Therefore, thanks to these subgroups, it was easier to notice the high degree of social interaction between the birds that were the object of study.

Some birds formed such strong bonds that Paul said it was easy for him to predict which ones would remain with their friendship for a long time.

Paul said:

“There were two tightly knit older females who did everything from courtship displays to building their nests together, and they were always joined by a male 20 years their junior.”

In terms of how they choose their friendships, Paul believes that both flamingo personalities and physical characteristics play an important role.

The study showed that the flamingos with the brightest pink color, held together with each other, and for them it is very important to establish a lasting friendship.

Paul said:

“It seems to be more about finding someone with a similar personality, someone you don’t clash with. Flocks are loud and busy, and the birds probably don’t need any more stress. Having a friend is good for your well-being.

The friendly bonds between flamingos are very important, which is why Paul makes a series of recommendations in his study to maintain their well-being. He advises zoos and sanctuaries to be careful not to separate those who are very close.

The complete study of the ecologist has been published in Behavioral Processes , where the research can be observed in more detail.