Penguins at London aquarium prepare for mating season with sweet exchange of pebbles

London Aquarium’s colony of gentoo penguins is getting ready for mating season.

The birds are already starting to display traditional courtship behaviours, which include bowing to each other and becoming more vocal as they reaffirm their bonds.

Soon, the next step in the penguin’s mating ritual will begin - the sweet exchange of pebbles.

Typically, male birds will identify stones with which to build their nests, and present them to their prospective partners.

Each bird has personal preferences for size and type of pebble, with some of the gentoos having already been caught stealing from nearby nests in the hope of winning over their suitors.

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