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Let's learn about flamingos!
Flamingos are tall, pink wading birds that can be found in Africa and South America,
as well as the warm coastal regions of North America, Europe, and Asia.
Because they are water birds, flamingos live in or near lakes and lagoons.
As birds, flamingos are warm blooded, lay eggs, and have beaks and feathers.
Unlike some birds, flamingos are also good fliers.
There are six different species of flamingos, but they all have some things in common.
They all have long, thin legs, a long, thin neck, pink feathers, and large, curved bills.
The largest type of flamingo, the greater flamingo, can reach heights of 59 inches or
150 centimeters, but only weigh as much as 8 pounds or 4 kilograms.
The wingspan of a greater flamingo can reach up to 65 inches or 165 centimeters!
Flamingos are filter feeders.
To eat, they stand in shallow water and hang their heads down into it.
They sweep their heads from side to side with their bill below the surface and use their
spiny tongue to help them strain food from the water.
Flamingos eat brine shrimp, algae, insects, mollusks and small crustaceans.
Because their diet includes both plants and animals, flamingos are omnivores.
You may be interested to know that flamingos are not born pink - when they are chicks they
are actually gray or white.
It takes a young flamingo two or three years before they attain their pink color.
They acquire their color gradually because of pigments in the food they eat.
Before this was understood, flamingos in zoos would turn white!
Today captive flamingos are fed a special food that helps them stay bright pink.
Flamingos are very social animals and like to live in large groups called colonies.
A colony of flamingos in the wild may reach as many as a million members, but usually
they are much smaller, with only a few dozen birds.
If you watch a flamingo for a little while you may notice it standing on one leg.
This is not because it is hurt!
Flamingos are actually very comfortable standing on one leg.
Scientists think they tuck one leg up into their feathers to save body heat and help
them stay warm when the temperature of the water they are standing in is cooler.
In the past, flamingos were eaten for food and depicted in ancient art.
Today plastic flamingos decorate lawns and are a symbol of summer fun.
They also are very popular in zoos and wildlife parks, so if you want to see a flamingo, try
visiting a zoo near you!
I hope you enjoyed learning about flamingos today.
Goodbye till next time!