The Flamingos

The Flamingos are some of the most distinct and recognizable birds in the world. Their bright pink color and wading ways makes them stand apart from the some 10,000 different species of birds in the entire world. They are truly a special group of birds with six different species, all having their own unique characteristics. Only some of these species are found in the United States.These famous pink birds can be found in warm, watery regions on many continents. They favor environments like estuaries and saline or alkaline lakes. Considering their appearance, flamingos are surprisingly fluid swimmers, but really thrive on the extensive mud flats where they breed and feed.

Greater flamingos are likely to be the only tall, pink bird in any given locale. They also have long, lean, curved necks and black-tipped bills with a distinctive downward bend.Their bent bills allow them to feed on small organisms-plankton, tiny fish, fly larvae, and the like. In muddy flats or shallow water, they use their long legs and webbed feet to stir up the bottom. They then bury their bills, or even their entire heads, and suck up both mud and water to access the tasty morsels within. A flamingo's beak has a filterlike structure to remove food from the water before the liquid is expelled.

Shrimplike crustaceans are responsible for the flamingo's pink color. The birds pale in captivity unless their diet is supplemented.Greater flamingos live and feed in groups called flocks or colonies. They find safety in numbers, which helps to protect individual birds from predators while their heads are down in the mud. Greater flamingos also breed while gathered in groups. Once mating is complete, a pair takes turns incubating their single egg. Young flamingos are born gray and white and do not turn pink for two years. In years when wetlands and pools are dry and food scarce, flamingoes may not breed.The American Flamingo, also known as the Caribbean Flamingo, is related closely to the Greater Flamingo and the Chilean Flamingo. Although the American Flamingo is generally smaller than the Greater Flamingo, it is the largest flamingo breed naturally found in the Americas. Their maximum height is around 55 inches. Females can weigh upwards of 5 lbs. and males can reach 6 lbs.

This type of flamingo naturally inhabits the Galapagos islands, Cuba, Columbia, Venezuela and other close islands since it prefers lagoons and inland lakes. Although it’s true, the birds have also been spotted in southern Mexico, the Everglades and other locations in Florida that match their preferences as well. They are good swimmers are often travel in flocks.