commonpeople1: (Morrissey)
[personal profile] commonpeople1
"In the idyllic setting of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in Slimbridge, 325 hectares of Gloucestershire wetland alive with water voles and dragonflies and the world's largest collection of swans, geese, and ducks, live a pair of gay flamingos named Carlos and Fernando.

Together for six years, they have raised three chicks after stealing eggs from other couples, feeding them by producing milk in their throats. This week, the pair were given the responsibility of raising a newly hatched flamingo that has been rejected by its mother."

Article from The Guardian.

Date: 2007-05-23 12:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] amanda-mary.livejournal.com
Producing milk in their throats? Whoa.

That's a really interesting article.

Date: 2007-05-23 12:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com
I wish they would explore it further. Maybe someone will, soon.

Date: 2007-05-23 02:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] amanda-mary.livejournal.com
My friend and former roommate, [livejournal.com profile] alissarocks444, is a librarian. When we were all in college together, she tracked down an entire, academic book about homosexual behaviors in (non-human) animals. It seemed as though there were plentiful examples from every species. I know there have been several studies of bonobo apes, in particular ... .

Date: 2007-05-24 07:30 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com
There's a novel by Barbara Gowdy, called The White Bone, based on elephants (and her research on them). She includes homosexual behaviours.

I have a cousin in Brasil who's a vet and a homophobe. I wonder sometimes if he was taught nothing about these occurences in nature.

Date: 2007-05-24 02:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dawnkitten.livejournal.com
'Flamingos produce a "milk" like pigeon milk due to the action of a hormone called prolactin (see Columbidae). It contains more fat and less protein than the latter does, and it is produced in glands lining the whole of the upper digestive tract, not just the crop. Both parents nurse their chick, and young flamingos feed on this milk, which also contains red and white blood cells, for about two months until their bills are developed enough to filter feed.'

Good old wiki. Loved this article (good old Guardian) - though I'm sure there'll be letters of outrage about it in the Daily Mail on a slow news day soon

Date: 2007-05-23 01:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sublimevisions.livejournal.com
it's a natural occurrence in more than just dogs.
there's also a pair of male penguins in the central park zoo that do the same.

Date: 2007-05-24 07:31 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com
And there used to be a pair of gay vultures in Jerusalem's Zoo that got all the Hasedic jews in a knicker twist.

Date: 2007-05-23 01:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com
OMG! I love it! It's like the gay couple in New Jersey who fostered a crack baby and eventually were the spur to allow gays to adopt in that state!

Date: 2007-05-24 07:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com
Neat! I love that shit... I wonder if Kevin & I will go that route one day -- fostering, etc.

Date: 2007-05-24 02:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com
Oh, had you guys thought about that before or what? I dunno if I ever would, but then again, I don't think I ever want kids.

Date: 2007-05-24 02:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com
I don't think Kevin wants kids either. I'm still unsure.

Date: 2007-05-24 03:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com
It's a big responsibility! You can't just hand them back if you decide you're not quite ready...*grin*

Date: 2007-05-24 04:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] commonpeople.livejournal.com
True. I was thinking foster kids might be the way to go.

Date: 2007-05-24 04:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com
Yah, like the babies before they get adopted, like me! I was in foster care for four weeks or so before my parents got me.

Date: 2007-05-24 04:34 pm (UTC)

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