Australasian gannets (Morus serrator) are known for their strong pair bonds, but they do not always mate for life. They typically return to the same nesting sites and reunite with the same partner each breeding season if both birds survive. However, if one partner dies or fails to return, the surviving bird will find a new mate.
Their elaborate courtship displays—like the mutual bill fencing and neck stretching seen in this photo—help reinforce these bonds each season. While they show high fidelity to their mates and nesting sites, they are not strictly lifelong monogamists in the way that some bird species, like albatrosses, are.
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