Compatible seabirds may make better parents, but personality clashes can lead to family tragedy and 'divorce'

By Fionnuala McCully, PhD candidate in behavioural ecology, University of Liverpool

Is there anything worse than a disappointing first date? It is particularly disheartening when a potential partnership that had so much promise turns out to be one big personality clash. My team’s recent study suggests that other animals may also need to navigate personality clashes, or else face disastrous consequences if they pick the wrong partner.

My team found that seabirds, which usually practice lifelong monogamy, are more likely to lose their chicks when their partner has a dissimilar personality.…

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