With bright pink feathers and a habit of standing on only one leg, flamingos are one of the most recognizable waterbirds. Without fail, every zoo tells visitors the same standard information at its flamingo exhibit: they are most comfortable standing on one leg and their pink color is because of a diet high in alpha and beta carotene. However, there is much more to the flamingo than a pink color and a love for showing off amazing balance.
Facts
There are actually five different species of pink flamingos, all sharing similar characteristics and behaviors. On average a pink flamingo is 3 to 4 feet tall and weighs 3 to 9 pounds, depending on the species. For instance, the greater flamingo can grow as tall as an adult person, while the lesser flamingo generally is no bigger than a 6-year-old child. Flamingos typically live between 20 to 30 years, but have been known to be as old as 50.
Habitat
Flamingos prefer to live in warm regions with abundant muddy water and are therefore partial to lakes and lagoons in the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Africa, and even in the Andes Mountains of South America. The water's depth is crucial when choosing a nesting location. Although flamingos can swim, if the water is too deep, feeding and nesting are difficult. Conversely, if the water is too shallow, the food supply is nominal and nests do not offer sufficient safety.
Lifestyle & Diet
Even flamingos know there is safety in numbers, so colonies consisting of thousands of flamingos are not uncommon. All species can fly and, even when flying, flamingos follow each other closely for safety. A typical flamingo diet includes seeds, algae, crustaceans and mollusks, and these birds truly are what they eat. The amount of carotene found in their food is visible in their feathers. The higher the amount the more intense the pink color is, even to the point of becoming crimson. Flamingos in the Caribbean have the brightest plumage. Captive flamingos are not as colorful as their wild counterparts unless their diet is supplemented.
Breeding
Breeding starts about age 6 and, unlike most animals, flamingos do not breed every year. When they do, the birds breed in pairs starting with a courtship of marching, head turning, calling and grooming. Flamingos build nests only when they breed. Both parents work over a period of about six weeks to create the nest. Flamingo nests are approximately a foot high and look like tiny volcanoes made of mud, stones and feathers.
Parenting
Breeding results in only one large, white egg. Devoted parents, male and female flamingos take turns incubating the egg for a period of 26 to 31 days. When they hatch, flamingo chicks are gray or white. They won't turn pink for another two to three years. Chicks will stay in the nest with their parents for the first five to 12 days of life. During this time, both parents will feed their chick a substance secreted from both their digestive tracts called crop milk.
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