Are Black Swans Gay?

While researching our webpage on Black Swans we came across an interesting fact.

Up to one thirds of all black swans are homosexual and nearly a quarter of all black swan couples are same-sex couples.  Usually it is two males getting together. These males sometimes steal a nest from a heterosexual couple and raise the young as their own or one male copulates with a female and once she has laid her eggs they chase her away and raise the chicks themselves.

Scientists believe there is a biological advantage in this behaviour as it appear that there is a higher survival rate amongst cygnets (chicks) raised by male-male couples than by male-female pairs. This may be due to the fact that there is an additional male to protect them and that having chosen to be parents they are more caring than natural heterosexual pairs.

Note: Homosexual behaviour amongst animals has been observed in over 1500 species. Besides black swans, these include the giraffes, vultures, bears, dolphins, etc.

You can learn more about these interesting birds at Black Swans 


photo "Black Swan at Martin Mere" by © Francis C. Franklin 

How does A Kangaroo Hop?

What is a Kangaroo?

Do Red Bellied Black Snakes Attack Humans?

Red Belly Black Snake

The Red Bellied Black Snake a poisonous snake found in Australia. The average adult snake is about 1.5 - 2m long. It is s shy creature which would rather avoid humans than confront them. When threatened it will try to bluff its way out by puffing itself up to look bigger and hissing loudly. It still threatened, it will attack in self-defence. There is no record of any human dying from the bite of a Red Bellied Black Snake.

Relax you are more likely to die falling off a horse than be attacked by a Red Bellied Black Snake.

For more information about this interesting Australian snake, including ad video of a Red Bellied Black Snake attack  visit our Red Bellied Black Snake website.

Photo by Matt from Melbourne, Australia [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

What is a Red Bellied Black Snake?

Red Belly Black Snake

The Red Bellied Black Snake is a poisonous snake found in Australia. It lives on warm moist environments predominantly along the eastern coast of Australia. It eats frogs, fish, lizards and other reptiles. 

While a poisonous snake, it rarely attacks humans. There has been no recorded death as a result of a bite from the Red Belly Black Snake. 

For more information about this interesting Australian snake visit our Red Bellied Black Snake website.

Photo by Matt from Melbourne, Australia [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Poisonous Australian Snakes - Red Bellied Black Snake

Red Bellied Black Snake

The Red Bellied Black Snake is a venomous Australian snake. It is found along the eastern seaboard (coast) of Australia. 

While it is indeed a venomous snake, it is also a very shy and avoids humans. The chances of getting bitten by one is very remote. (You are more likely to fall off a ladder than be bitten by one).

Our Red Bellied Black Snake website has lots more fascinating information about the Red Belly Black Snake.


Photo by Matt from Melbourne, Australia [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Where does the Red Bellied Black Snake Live?

What Does a Red Bellied Black Snake Eat?

How the Kangaroo Got Its Name

Wondered how the Kangaroo got its Name?

Kangaroo

The kangaroo an Australian plant-eating marsupial.

Up until 1770 people outside of Australia were not aware of the funny hoping animal of Australia. The first European reference to it is in a diary note of Joseph Banks a naturalist on board the sailing ship Endeavour which had beached itself for critical repairs after running aground on the Great Barrier Reef. He referred to the animal as "kangooroo". This word eventually evolved to the present day form of "kangaroo".


Visit our Kangaroo website for lots more information about the Kangaroo.

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Who Owns the Copyright to Waltzing Matilda

Is Waltzing Matilda Copyrighted?

There is some controversy as to the copyright status of the iconic Australian song Waltzing Matilda. While the generally held view is that it is in the public domain, this is strictly speaking not correct.

Visit Waltzing Matilda - Australia's Favourite Song to discover to complete story behind this famous Australian song.