For these birds, there is documented evidence of homosexual behavior in one or more of the following kinds: sex, courtship, affection, pair bonding, or parenting, as noted in researcher and author Bruce Bagemihl's 1999 book Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity.
According to Bagemihl, animal sexual behavior takes many different forms, even within the same species and the motivations for and implications of their behaviors have yet to be fully understood. Bagemihl's research shows that homosexual behavior, not necessarily sex, has been documented in about 500 species as of 1999, ranging from primates to gut worms.Bagemihl (1999)Harrold (1999) Homosexuality in animals is seen as controversial by social conservatives because it asserts the naturalness of homosexuality in humans, while others counter that it has no implications and is nonsensical to equate animal behavior to morality.Solimeo (2004)Solimeo (2004b) Animal preference and motivation is always inferred from behavior. Thus homosexual behavior has been given a number of terms over the years. The correct usage of the term homosexual is that an animal exhibits homosexual behavior, however this article conforms to the usage by modern researchBagemihl (1999) pages 122-166Roughgarden (2004) pp.13-183Vasey (1995) pages 173-204Sommer & Vasey (2006) applying the term homosexuality to all sexual behavior (copulation, genital stimulation, mating games and sexual display behavior) between animals of the same sex.
This list is part of a larger list of animals displaying homosexual behavior including mammals, insects, fish etc.
Selected images
Birds
Acorn woodpeckerBagemihl (1999) pages 644-7 Adelie penguin365 Gay.com (2005) American flamingoBagemihl (1999) pages 524-7 American herring gullBagemihl (1999) pages 552-6 Anna's hummingbirdBagemihl (1999) pages 640-3 Australian shelduckBagemihl (1999) pages 496-500 Aztec parakeetBagemihl (1999) pages 650-5 Bengalese finch (domestic)Bagemihl (1999) pages 81 & 89 Bank swallowBagemihl (1999) pages 583-6 Barn owlsBagemihl (1999) pages 632-5 Bearded vulturePoiani (2010) page 47 Bicolored antbirdBagemihl (1999) pages 575-7 Black-billed magpieBagemihl (1999) pages 606-10 Black-capped chickadeeBagemihl (1999) Black-crowned night heronBagemihl (1999) pages 511-3 Black-headed gullBagemihl (1999) pages 556-9 Black-rumped flameback Black stiltBagemihl (1999) pages 536-9 Black swanGoudarzi (2006) Black-winged stilt Blue-backed manakinBagemihl (1999) pages 572-4 Blue-bellied rollerBagemihl (1999) pages 647-9 Blue crowned conureBagemihl (1999) pages 594-7 Blue tit Blue-winged tealBagemihl (1999) pages 491-5 Brown-headed cowbirdBagemihl (1999) pages 602-5 Budgerigar (domestic)Bagemihl (1999) page 81 Buff-breasted sandpiperBagemihl (1999) pages 528-32 CalfbirdBagemihl (1999) pages 569-71 California gullBagemihl (1999) pages 544-8 Canada gooseBagemihl (1999) pages 483-7 Canary-winged parakeet Caspian ternBagemihl (1999) pages 563-5 Cattle egretsBagemihl (1999) pages 514-7 Cockatiel Common chaffinchBagemihl (1999) pages 591-3 ChickenBagemihl (1999) pages 83 Chilean flamingo Chiloe wigeon Chinstrap penguinSmith (February 7, 2004)] Cliff swallow Common gull Common murreBagemihl (1999) pages 501-5 Common redshank Common shelduck Crane spp.Bagemihl (1999) pages 518-22 Dusky moorhen Domesticated turkeyBagemihl (1999) pages 82, 90 Eastern bluebird Egyptian goose Elegant parrot EmuBagemihl (1999) page 621-6 Eurasian oystercatcher Eurasian jay European shagBagemihl (1999) pages 506-8 Galah Gentoo penguin Golden bishop birdBagemihl (1999) pages 600 Golden ploverBagemihl (1999) pages 539-43 Gray-capped social weaverBagemihl (1999) pages 598-601 Grey heron Great cormorant Greater bird of paradiseBagemihl (1999) page 613 Greater flamingo Greater rhea Green cheek conure Green sandpiperBagemihl (1999) pages 534, 535 GreenshankBagemihl (1999) pages 533-536 Greylag gooseBagemihl (1999), page 479-482 Griffon vulture Guianan cock-of-the-rock Guillemot HammerkopBagemihl (1999), page 522-524 Herring gull Hoary-headed grebeBagemihl (1999) pages 509-10 Hooded warblerBagemihl (1999) pages 587-590 House sparrow Humboldt penguin Ivory gullBagemihl (1999) pages 560-562 Jackdaw Kestrel King penguin KittiwakeBagemihl (1999) pages 548-552 Laughing gull Laysan albatross Lesser flamingo Lesser scaup duck Little blue heron Little egret Long-tailed hermit hummingbird Lory spp. Mallard Masked lovebird Mealy amazon parrot Mew gull Mexican jayBagemihl (1999) page 232, 609-610 Musk duck Mute swanBagemihl (1999) pages 487-491 Ocellated antbird Ocher-bellied flycatcherBagemihl (1999) pages 141-142, 577-579 Orange bishop bird Orange-fronted parakeet Ornate lorikeet Ostrich Peach-faced lovebird Pied flycatcherBagemihl (1999) page 596 Pied kingfisher Pigeon (domestic)Bagemihl (1999) pages 486, 663 Powerful owlBagemihl (1999) page 634 Purple swamphen Raggiana's bird of paradiseBagemihl (1999) pages 611-614 Ravens Razorbill Red-backed shrike Red bishop bird Red-faced lovebird Red-shouldered widowbirdBagemihl (1999) page 601 Regent bowerbirdBagemihl (1999) pages 614-616 Ring-billed gull Ring doveBagemihl (1999) page 639 Rock doveBagemihl (1999) page 639 Roseate tern Rose-ringed parakeet Ruff Ruffed grouseBagemihl (1999) pages 636-639 Sage grouse San Blas jay Sand martin Satin bowerbirdBagemihl (1999) page 616 Scarlet ibis Scottish crossbill Senegal parrot Sharp-tailed sparrowBagemihl (1999) page 604 Silver gull Silvery grebe Snow goose StitchbirdPoiani (2010) page 49 Superb lyrebirdBagemihl (1999) pages 617-620 Swallow-tailed manakin Tasmanian native hen Toco toucanKishikawa (2021) Tree swallowBagemihl (1999) pages 580-3 Trumpeter swanBagemihl (1999) page 489 Victoria's riflebird Wattled starling Western gullSmith (February 7, 2004) White-fronted amazon parrot White storkBagemihl (1999) pages 206, 232 Wood duck Yellow-backed lorikeet Yellow-rumped caciqueBagemihl (1999) page 232 Zebra finch (domestic)Bagemihl (1999) pages 81, 85, 101, 150, 156
See also
Bibliography
Notes