Feathered friends form close bonds just like humans

Birds flock to do favours for their buddies

- By Stephen Beech

WHEN it comes to relationships, birds behave just like us, scientists say.

For instead of simply flocking to their relatives, they form close bonds with other feathered friends too

A study of African starlings has also shown that when they help out their pals they expect the favour will even-tually be returned.

Humans who are not related often help each other, but the idea that ani-mals have similar interactions has been difficult to prove until now.

The research draws on data gath-ered over 20 years by Dr Alexis Earl, a former PhD student in the lab of Professor Dustin Rubenstein, of Colombia University, New York.

Complex