Flamingo

[Phoenicopterus ruber]

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Quick Facts

Size: 4 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 6 pounds

Lifespan: 20 to 30 years

Range: Caribbean

Habitat: Lagoons, lakes, or anywhere there mud and water

Diet: Shellfish and algae

Flamingo is the Latin word for “flame.” The birds communicate through honking and growling, and this helps keep the packs together.

About Flamingos

When young flamingos are hatched they have white plumage. Adult flamingos have light pink to bright red feathers depending on the amount of carotenoids in their diet.

There is no set breeding season for flamingos. Males and females pair up and begin building a nest to lay the egg. They then take turns incubating the egg. When the flamingo chick is born the parents are responsible for feeding and taking care of it.

Some flamingo habitats have been disturbed by salt mining, drainage of land, and other human interferences, resulting in the desertion of some nest sites.

 

Location in the Zoo: African Savanna

Schedule: Outside in warm weather, indoor viewing in cooler temperatures