Wild birds choose love over food

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/uoo-wbc110915.php

Public Release: 12-Nov-2015
Wild birds choose love over food
University of Oxford

Wild birds will sacrifice access to food in order to stay close to their partner over the winter, according to a study by Oxford University researchers.

Scientists from the Department of Zoology found that mated pairs of great tits chose to prioritise their relationships over sustenance in a novel experiment that prevented couples from foraging in the same location.

This also meant birds ended up spending a significant amount of time with their partners' flock-mates.

And, over time, the pairs may even have learned to cooperate to allow each other to scrounge from off-limits feeding stations.

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