In a heartwarming development, Curtis and Arthur, two male Chilean flamingos at Paignton Zoo in Devon, have become proud dads after successfully hatching and raising a chick together. The zookeepers are still piecing together how this pair came to have their chick, though they suspect the egg may have been abandoned by another flamingo couple and then adopted by the two new dads.

Bird curator Pete Smallbones explained in a statement, “Regarding the same-sex parenting, we aren’t entirely sure how this has come about, although it is a known phenomenon in Chilean flamingos and other bird species. The most likely scenario is that the egg was left by another pair, and these two decided to take on the parenting duties.”

For Chilean flamingos, this development is particularly significant given the challenges they face in the wild. Native to South America, these birds have seen their populations unfortunately decline due to environmental threats, habitat loss and egg harvesting.

Curtis and Arthur’s dedication to nurturing their little one is being celebrated both by zoo staff and visitors alike. Smallbones told The Guardian, “The whole zoo is pleased to have flamingo chicks back on the lagoon. They can’t fail to brighten up your day when you catch a glimpse of them.”

Same-sex pairing in birds is not an uncommon occurrence, with numerous documented cases across different species. One of the most famous examples is Roy and Silo, two male Chinstrap penguins at New York’s Central Park Zoo, who made headlines in 1998. After observing the duo trying to hatch a rock, zookeepers provided them with a real egg, which they lovingly nurtured into a chick named Tango. The story of Roy, Silo, and Tango later inspired the award-winning children’s book And Tango Makes Three.

Last year, carers at Sydney’s Sea Life Aquarium organised a special Pride parade for all of the resident LGBTQ+ penguins to enjoy ahead of WorldPride. The penguin-sized parade was led by the aquarium’s famous same-sex male Gentoo Penguin couple, Sphen and Magic.