Animals are normally expected to exude bizarre behaviors. But this one's definitely for the record: A rare black swan is trying to woo a plastic swan paddle boat for hire on a German lake.

Biologists says that the Black Australian Swan is definitely showing all the typical signs of love such as circling around its plastic lover, staring endlessly at it and making crooning noises.

The swan lives on the Aasee Lake in Muenster in north-western Germany where the boat is also docked.

The swan has become an instant hit with the locals after it arrived at the lake a few months ago. And now that it has 'fallen in love' with the boat, a large white plastic peddalo resembling a swan, which is hired out to families who want to picnic on the lake, it has become a major star. Souvenir shops are now selling t-shirts, snow globes and key rings depicting the star-crossed lovers.

But the phenomenon also has its negative impact. Tourists are now nervous about hiring that particular boat thanks but no thanks to its ever vigilant admirer.

Even yacht school owner Peter Overschmidt is complaining.

"When I sail too close to the peddalo, the black bird puffs up its feathers and hoots at me," says Overschmidt.

A biologist from the local Allwetter Zoo, Dirk Wewers observes, "This behavior proves that the swan has built an attachment with the peddle boat."

And this observation worries biologists in the sense that because swans are monogamous, this one will waste its life pining away for its plastic lover.

However, Andrea Klein, an expert in swan behavior, says she is confident the swan will recover from its broken heart once the boat is locked away for the winter.