And Tango Makes Three

The journal Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology published a report giving insight into private lives of zebra finches. The same-sex pairs of these birds are just as monogamous, attached, and faithful to each other as those paired with a member of the opposite sex. Scientists found that same-sex pairs of finches sang to and preened each other just like heterosexual pairs. In same-sex monogamous gulls and albatrosses, some females breed with males but rear the young together. There are many other examples of same-sex pairing in the avian world.

The New York Times ran a very supportive piece about the authors of a very controversial book.

And Tango Makes Three is the award-winning children's book based on a true story about two male penguins who raised a baby penguin in New York's Central Park Zoo.

A gay couple of male penguins has attempted to steal eggs from straight penguin couples, at the Polar Land zoo in north-east China. In an effort to hide their crime, the couple even placed stones at the feet of parenting penguins before leaving with their eggs.

"One of the responsibilities of being a male adult is looking after the eggs," explains a zookeeper. "Despite this being a biological impossibility for this couple, the natural desire is still there."