Flamingos, with their brightly colored feathers, stick-like legs and flexible necks, are some of the most recognizable animals on the planet. Flamingos have inspired books, poems, songs, toys and novelty clothing, and loaned their name to sundry nightclubs, hotels and casinos. Even the plastic flamingo lawn ornaments have earned a permanent place in pop culture history. Real flamingos, however, are amazing creatures. Incredibly social birds, they live in large flocks that often boast thousands of members. They typically inhabit shallow lakes and lagoons in desolate, inhospitable areas of North America, South America, Central America, Asia, Africa and Europe.
Five Species
Scientists have divided flamingos into five distinct species. The greater flamingo is the largest of all flamingos, typically standing over 50 inches tall. The lesser flamingo is the smallest of the bunch, standing at a comparatively diminutive 31 inches. Standing somewhere in the middle are the Chilean flamingo, the James' flamingo and the Andean flamingo.
Pink Power
The bright pink or reddish coloration of the flamingo's feathers, legs and face are the direct result of what it eats. According to Seaworld, the flamingos diet consists mainly of algae, diatoms, seeds, crustaceans and mollusks, all of which are extremely high pink-producing alpha and beta caratenoid pigments.
All Together Now
Flamingos engage in ritualized displays that, when performed by large flocks, are reminiscent of a 1940s musical film. "Marching" is when the flock walks as one in a single direction, then quickly turns in another direction. In the "wing salute," the flamingos show off their colors with cocked tails and outstretched necks, and "head flagging" is a rhythmic side-to-side head turn
Making Sense
Flamingos are equipped with very good vision and hearing. They also possess an excellent sense of touch, primarily located in the tactile organs on their tongues, which enables them to successfully forage for food. Their senses of taste and smell, however, are poor.
Bird Talk
Flamingos, according to Sea World, are noisy birds. They depend on loud vocalizations to maintain flock unity, and to communicate with their chicks and each other. Flamingo vocalizations include grunting, growling and honking.
Vanity Thy Name is Flamingo
Flamingos spend 15 to 30 percent of each day preening. According to The Jungle Store, they use their large bills to smooth and clean their feathers with oil pulled from a gland located near their tails. Besides keeping the flamingos looking lovely, preening also waterproofs their feathers.
A Leg Up
It may look precarious to humans, but flamingos are most comfortable standing on one leg. It is, according to the San Diego Zoo, the flamingo's favorite resting position. Since body warmth would tend to escape down their long legs, pulling one leg close helps the flamingos to conserve energy and stay warm.
Dinner Time
Both male and female flamingos participate in feeding nestlings. According to The Wild Ones, the parent birds feed their offspring "crop milk," a dark red, high-fat, high-protein liquid secreted from their upper digestive tracts.
Cleared For Takeoff
In order to become airborne, it is necessary for flamingos to get a running start. Once in flight, they follow each other closely, flapping their wings continuously and reaching speeds up to 37 miles per hour.
The Flamingo Lagoon
The San Diego Zoo has housed flamingos since 1932. As "unofficial ambassadors," they live in the Flamingo Lagoon at the zoo entrance, where visitors can observe them nesting, preening, feeding, raising chicks and displaying their rituals in fine fashion.
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