Flamingo

Flamingoes (family Phoenicopteridae) are waterbirds distinguished by their striking pink to crimson plumage, stilt-like long legs, and a flexible neck that forms an S-shaped curve. The name flamingo derives from the Portuguese or Spanish word flamengom, which translates to ‘flame-colored’.

These birds are highly social, living in colonies, called flamboyance, that may comprise up to millions of individuals. They prefer living in saline or alkaline lakes, lagoons, and mangroves, where they filter-feed on algae, cyanobacteria, and invertebrates, depending on the species.

Description

Size: Height: About 3.71 ft (1.13 m) on average; Wingspan: Between 37 and 59 in (94 and 150 cm).

The tallest species, the greater flamingo, stands at 3.9 to 4.7 ft (1.2 to 1.4 m), whereas the shortest, the lesser flamingo, has a height of around 2.6 ft (0.8 m).

Weight: About 2.5 kg (5.6 lb) on average

Body and Coloration:

They have slender bodies, with notably long legs and flexible necks. Their plumage varies from pink to crimson, the color derived from carotenoid pigments in their diet, which these birds metabolize and deposit in their feathers. Young flamingos, however, have grayish-red feathers. In contrast to the vibrant plumage, the flight feathers at the wing edges are black.

The bill is large and has a distinctive downward curve. The mandible is lined by numerous hairy structures called lamellae, which help filter food items into the mouth. The tongue is also large and rough, complementing the filter-feeding process.

The legs may appear backwardly bent because the middle joints are actually ankles, not knees. Their feet are webbed, helping them wade through water.

Species

There are 6 species of flamingos.

• Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
• Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor)
• Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis)
• James’s or Puna Flamingo (Phoenicoparrus jamesi)
• Andean Flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus)
• American or Caribbean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)

Distribution

These birds live in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Their distribution varies with species.

• Chilean flamingos are found in central Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and southern Brazil.
• Caribbean flamingoes live in the Caribbean (Cuba, the Bahamas, the Yucatan, Turks and Caicos), the Galapagos Islands, and the northern regions of coastal South America.
• The Andean flamingo is found in southern Peru, western Bolivia, north-central Chile, and northwestern Argentina.
• The greater flamingo is the most widespread of all species, found in northwest India, the Middle East, the western Mediterranean, and Africa. Some populations are found over much of northern Europe and east of Siberia.
• The lesser flamingo is found in eastern, southwestern, and western Africa, as well as in India.
• The James’s flamingo has the most restricted range of all species. It lives in southern Peru, northeastern Chile, western Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina.

Habitat

They inhabit large alkaline or saline lakes, as well as estuarine lagoons that typically lack vegetation. Andean and James’s flamingos are found in high-altitude salt lakes in the Andes, often at elevations well above 10,000 ft (3,000 m), sometimes approaching 16,000 ft (4,870 m) during the breeding season.

Diet

These birds are omnivores that consume both plant and animal matter, depending on the species. For instance, smaller species like James’s, Andean, and lesser flamingos have short, deep bills with stiff lamellae, allowing them to filter algae and cyanobacteria from the water. In contrast, larger species such as the greater and Chilean flamingos possess broader bills and feed primarily on invertebrates, including brine shrimp, insects, and mollusks.

Although these birds drink freshwater, they have salt glands under their eyes, which help remove extra salt from their bodies. Thus, if needed, flamingos may also drink saltwater.

Behavior

• Flamingos are social birds, living in colonies (often called a flamboyance or a stand) that may comprise as many as thousands or even millions of individuals. Forming such colonies helps these birds maximize food intake and avoid predators that may otherwise attack isolated individuals.
• These birds are quite vocal, using a variety of sounds to communicate, ranging from grunts and growls to nasal honks. The vocalizations help maintain group coherence and aid in parent-chick recognition.
• They turn their heads upside down in water and filter their food through the lamellae lining their bills. To maximize capture efficiency, they chatter their bills and rhythmically pump their large tongues, drawing water in and forcing it out through the lamellae. They also stomp the muddy sediment with their webbed feet to bring their prey to the surface.
• Flamingoes usually stand on one leg, tucking the other under their body. Although the exact reason behind this behavior remains uncertain, it is believed that it either helps conserve more body heat or simply reduces the muscular effort required to stand on two legs when the bird can easily balance on one leg. Studies have revealed that this posture requires very minimal muscular effort.
• Although most flamingo species are non-migratory, some, such as the greater flamingo, migrate due to changes in climate and water levels in their breeding areas. When they do, they typically fly at night, covering approximately 600 km (373 miles) in a single night at 50 to 60 km/h (31 to 37 mph).

Lifespan

These birds typically live around 20 to 30 years in the wild. However, under proper care in captivity, they may survive over 50 years. A greater flamingo, believed to be the oldest flamingo ever recorded, survived for at least 83 years before it died at the Adelaide Zoo in Australia.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

During the breeding season, the large colonies split into smaller breeding subgroups comprising 15 to 50 individuals. Both males and females of these groups perform synchronized ritual displays to attract potential mates. These displays include stretching of their necks, head-flagging, and flapping of wings.

After mate selection, flamingos form strong pair bonds. The female typically selects a suitable spot on the mudflat to build the nest. The pair typically copulates while building the nest and aggressively defends the nesting site.

Typically, a female lays one egg at a time per breeding season. Both the male and the female feed the chick with crop milk, a protein- and fat-rich secretion from glands lining the upper digestive tract.

For the first 6 days after the chick hatches, it stays with its parents. However, within 7 to 12 days, the chick leaves the nest and joins a microcrèche, a congregation of chicks that can number in the thousands. When the young are around 3 months old, they have already developed their flight feathers, and they fly off independently.

Predators

Flamingo eggs and hatchlings typically become targets of birds of prey, including Marabou storks, gulls, and vultures, as well as snakes. They may occasionally fall prey to small mammals, like foxes, genets, mongooses, and wild cats.

When feeding in shallow waters, adult flamingos, particularly the weak ones, become vulnerable to Nile and American crocodiles. Isolated or injured individuals may also be preyed upon by eagles and falcons, though such instances are rare.