A UK-based breeding programme for the rare New Zealand Blue Duck has gone wrong – two of the three ducks living in West Sussex are male, and have coupled up.
"It was love at first sight when Ben the rare duck took a gander at another bird," reports the Chester Chronicle.
"But unfortunately for his owners, who want Ben to breed, his true love didn't quite fit the bill. It's another drake called Jerry. Both have shunned a female called Cherry - who now swims sadly by herself at the other side of their pond."
There are only around 600 New Zealand Blue Ducks left worldwide, so breeding programmes like the one at the Wetlands Trust in West Sussex are crucial for the species' survival.
"Jerry and Ben just haven't stopped flirting. The fact they have turned out to be gay has played havoc with our breeding plans," says spokeswoman Grace Rawnsley.
