Young pink flamingos hatch with grey plumage, but the feathers of an adult range from light pink to bright red due to the bacteria in the water they inhabit and the pigments obtained from their food supply. A flamingo that is well-fed and healthy is vibrantly coloured bright pink and is more desirable as a mate.

The flamingo's characteristic pink coloring is caused by the Beta carotene in their diet.

The pictures of Flamingos below depict their wonderful plumage.

The Caribbean Flamingo has the brightest overall color.



A white or pale flamingo, however, is usually unhealthy or suffering from a lack of food. Notable exceptions are the ones in captivity, many of which turn a pale pink as they are not fed foods containing sufficient amounts of carotene. This is changing as more zoos begin to add shrimp and other supplements to their diets. In summary, they obtain their color from a beta carotene diet.



The feather color varies with species, ranging from pale pink to crimson or vermilion. The Chilean is pale pink. Caribbean - Phoenicopterus ruber ruber, generally considered a race of the Greater, have the brightest coloration: crimson or vermilion on their legs, bills, and faces.

The Andean is the only species with yellow legs.



There are 12 principal flight feathers located on each wing. These black feathers are visible when the wings are extended.

The bird filter-feeds on brine shrimp. Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they eat, and are uniquely used upside-down. The filtering of food items is assisted by hairy structures called lamellae which line the mandibles, and the large rough-surfaced tongue. Their characteristic pink coloring is caused by the Beta carotene in their diet. The source of this varies by species, but shrimp and blue-green algae are common sources; zoo-fed may be given food with the additive canthaxanthin, which is often also given to farmed salmon.

Their "knee" is called the ankle joint. The birds can bend their ankles so that the lower legs bend forward, opposite of how human knees operate that bend backward. It is a very strange sight to see birds "sitting" in this position! The "foot" is actually its toes.

They have a truly unique beak. It is angled so the birds feed while standing up and their heads lowered, scooping up and straining their meals from the water.

All have webbing connecting their front toes. In addition to both living in the Andes, both the Puna and Andean have 3 toes while the rest have 4. And did you know that they are able to swim with webbed feet?

Pink Flamingos live in lagoons, or lakes, where there is lots of mud and water. The birds use a variety of habitats: mangrove swamps, tidal flats, and sandy islands in the inter-tidal zone. The depth of the water is especially important not only for feeding but for nesting. Lakes may be far inland or near the sea.

The birds live in large groups all year long called colonies. Tens of thousands of birds can live in one colony! Within a colony, they breed in pairs. Every pair does not breed every year, however, in East Africa, more than one million may gather together-forming the largest flocks known among birds today.

They build a mounded mud nest on gravel or a mud bed, then lay a single egg. The young are cared for and fed by their parents until about 3 months of age, the time their hooked beak and lamellae are developed.

Breeding ~ Done in groups to synchronize breeding in a colony.
Wing salute- wings are spread for a few seconds, showing a flash of color; the neck is stretched out and the tail is flipped up. Usually followed by head twist to the back.
Wing-leg stretch- simultaneous stretch of one wing and leg on the same side.
Twist-preening- rapidly alternating between stretching neck forward and twisting head around to the back, bill touching shoulders
Head flagging- head held high, neck stretched, head slowly and rhythmically turns left and right
Head shaking- bend neck, head waggles side to side.
Marching- tight group marches together in one direction, then suddenly flips around and walks the other direction.
Bowing: neck stretched forward, and angled down toward the water; wings are open about a third.

Agression ~ Bill-fighting: both individuals aggressive; face each other and try to bite the head/beak area of opponent
Chasing: one chases another; retreating bird stretches neck out straight; chaser pecks at tail end of other.
Threatening: face each other with outstretched necks and open mouths, sometimes with growling vocalizations.
Mate protection: If a mated pair comes in contact with another, the male will become aggressive, defending the female.

Vocalizations ~ Most important function: to keep flock together.
Very similar to geese.
Honking sound while flying and on the ground.
A "low gabbling noise" from groups during feeding.
Grunting, growling noises given during breeding or aggressive displays.
Recent captive studies by Boylan (2000) show the following:
There are many more vocalizations than previously thought.
There are four main components to the calls: repetitive, tonal, "buzzy", and a combination repetitive/tonal.

Movement ~ Walk and run easily when threatened. Take-off requires a short run, facing wind with wings flapping.
Fly with necks and legs outstretched, similar to cranes and storks.
Continuous, rapid flapping, reaching speeds of 50-60 km/h (31-37 mi/hr).
Fly in loose "v" or diagonal line, similar to geese and cranes.

The courtship displays are quite elaborate. The males and females will perform a number of head and wing movements which look similar to everyday preening, but are much more rigid. They make their nests out of mud by piling the mud and forming it into a large mound about 15 inches in diameter and 1 to 2 feet tall. The female makes an indentation on the top where she will lay her egg. Incubation lasts 27-31 days, and both the mother and father sit on the egg. When it hatches, the chick is covered with gray downy feathers. Their beaks are straight at birth so that they can be fed by regurgitation from their parents. After a few months the beak curves. They grow in their adult plumage after about two years. They become sexually mature at 6 years of age. The typical lifespan in the wild is up to 50 years.



Opportunistic, erratic breeders. Breeding season varies within and among populations. Rainfall most important cue.

First breeding at approximately 3 to 6 years.
Only fully colored adults participate in breeding.
Most populations require a large colony for successful breeding (at least 50, but ideally hundreds or thousands). Exception: Galapagos populations will breed in groups of 5 to 10 pairs and form long term pair bonds that last through several breeding seasons.

Courtship displays are used to synchronize breeding in colonies. Copulation does not occur until the pair leaves the group.

Breeding Sites:

Great Inagua, Bahamas
Archipelago de Camaguey, Cuba
Rio Lagartos, Yucatan, Mexico
Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

Make nests of mud by scooping with lower jaw and piling bits of mud on top of one another, smoothing with their feet. Form small, cone-shaped mounds with scooped out top.
Approximately 30 cm (12 in.) high
Usually a small moat is excavated around the base.
Sometimes twigs or roots used. On rocky islands without mud, may be pile of stones.
Both sexes build nests.
Old nests often reused.
Nests in a colony are built close together.

Eggs white; pinkish on rare occasions.
Egg is laid on the bowl-shaped top of the mud nest
Clutch size: one egg; rarely two.
Incubation: 27-31 days; done by both parents
Broods: one per year
Life Stages

There are six species in the world: the Andean Flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus), the James Flamingo (Phoenicoparrus jamesi), the Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensi), the Carribean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), the Lesser Flamingo (Phoenconaias minor) and the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus). They may at first glance look similar to each other, but certain features allow easy identification.

Class: Aves (Birds)
Order: Phoenicopteriformes
Family: Phoenicopteridae
Genus and species:
Phoenicopterus ruber (greater flamingo and Caribbean flamingo subspecies)
Phoenicopterus chilensis (Chilean)
Phoeniconaias minor (lesser)
Phoenicopparrus andinus (Andean)
Phoenicopparrus jamesi (puna, or James')
Height: 3.3 to 4.6 feet (1 to 1.4 meters)
Wingspan: 3.3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.6 meters)
Weight: 3.3 to 9 pounds (1.5 to 4.1 kilograms)
Life span: 20 to 30 years; up to 50 years not unusual
Number of eggs laid: usually 1
Size of eggs: 3 to 3.5 inches (78 to 90 millimeters) long; 4 to 4.9 ounces (115 to 140 grams)
Incubation: 27 to 31 days
Size at hatching: 2.5 to 3.2 ounces (73 to 90 grams)
Age of maturity:
3 to 5 years
Conservation status: Andean flamingo is vulnerable

Top Stories

Although there are flocks in several African countries, the largest flock is on Kenya's Lake Nakuru where there are over a hundred thousand Greater and Lesser Flamingos, a moving picture of pink and white. While in the Caribbean, spy these pink huge birds on Anguilla. In Spain and France, there are breeding flocks of Greater. The only naturally occurring flock in the United States is in the Florida Everglades.

Think that these birds are restricted to hot tropical lowlands and oceans? Think again! Both the Puna (James') and the Andean are restricted to Andean highlands. The Andeans rarely venture below 10,500 feet!



Rare in Florida, resident in Bahamas, Caribbean, Yucatan, northern South America and Galapagos.

Galapagos Islands - 50 saline lagoons on Isabela, Santa Cruz, Floreana, Bainbridge, and Rabida Islands. Most breeding occurs on southern Isabela Island.
Southern Caribbean - Guajira Peninsula of Colombia, N coast of Venezuela, Bonaire, and nearby islands. A small number can be found farther east along the N coast of South America to French Guiana.
Yucatan Peninsula - N coast, from Campeche to Cabo Catoche, with rare sightings at Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, and on Cozumel Island. Celestun Lagoon and Ria Lagartos Lagoon appear to be the most important localities, containing up to 75% of the population at a given time.
Northern Caribbean - Bahamas, Hispaniola, Cuba, Turks and Caicos, and southern Florida (probably escaped captives).

They have black flight feathers, and wing coverts that are darker pink that the body.

Caribbean: the brightest overall color, knees darker pink; beak deep pink, lower bill darker.

Greater: similar in size to Caribbean, but body, neck and head very pale pink; knees with less contrasting color; bill with less black, the rest a light pink. Distribution- Africa, Mediterranean, Middle East, Southern Russia, India.

Lesser: smallest; pale pink, but not as pale as Greater; slight spotting of darker pink on back; entire bill dark red, almost black, all the way to the eye; legs dark gray/pink w/o contrasting knee color. Distribution- mostly southeastern Africa with outlying populations in western Africa, the middle east, and India.

Chilean: stand four to five feet tall and can weigh anywhere from 13-16 pounds. They have a long neck and long, slender legs. Their bill is bent downward in the middle. Most of their body is coverd in pale pink feathers with darker pink and black wings. Their legs are dull yellow or yellow-gray with dark pink bands at the joints and pink feet.

Chilean: very similar to the Greater, but slightly smaller; during breeding, breast and neck may become slightly more pink; legs yellow-gray with contrasting dark pink knees and feet; bill tip black, base is very pale pink. Distribution- southwestern South America in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina from lowlands to high altitude lakes.

Andean: similar to Chilean, but head and neck a truer pink than others (more pink than orange/pink), which extends to spotting on the breast; legs bright yellow with no contrasting knees; bill with black tip and yellow base. Distribution- small area of the Andean Altiplano at 3500 - 4500 m (12,000-15,000 ft); overlaps with Chilean and James'.

Puna: also called "James'"; very similar to Chilean and Andean, but smaller than both; when breeding, has band of dark pink spots on the breast; legs dark pink without contrasting knees; bill tip black, basal 2/3 is a dark yellow which is lined with red along the proximal edge and around the eye. Distribution- high elevation (usually greater than 4000 m) salt flats in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina; range overlaps the other two South American species' ranges, but much more restricted.