Interesting and fun facts about the Pink Flamingo a native of South America.
Name:
The name of Pink Flamingo is derived from a Spanish or Portuguese word which means flame colored.
Appearance: Long legged pink birds with a hooked bill.
Size:
The adult flamingo is approx. 3.3 to 4.6 feet tall and weighs between 3.3 lbs-9 lbs.
Color:
This unique bird is beautiful and ornamental and comes in a variety of pink. red and orange colors based on the food they eat. Pink Flamingos kept in captivity and not fed the correct food will turn white. When Pink Flamingos are babies they are actually born a dull gray color and will not develop a pink color until they eat the right foods.
Foods Flamingos eat:
In their natural wetland environment Flamingos eat brine shrimp, larvae, and algae. Their unique coloring varies depending on how many foods they eat which contain beta carotene. "In the digestive system, enzymes break down carotenoids into pigments that are absorbed by fats in the liver and deposited, for flamingos, in the feathers and skin. To actually color the physical attributes, carotenoids must be ingested in very large amounts. Because the flamingo diet is nearly exclusively carotenoid-filled delicacies, the birds have no problem coloring themselves" (3).
Where Flamingos can be found:
"The flamingo's most characteristic habitats are large alkaline or saline lakes or estuarine lagoons that usually lack vegetation. Lakes may be far inland or near the sea. A variety of habitats are used by flamingos: mangrove swamps, tidal flats, and sandy islands in the intertidal zone (6). An estuarine lagoon is actually an Estuary, a ecosystem which connects to the open sea and enters with the rhythm of the tides. Sea water entering the estuary is then diluted by fresh water which flows from rivers and streams (7). Flamingos can be found in tropical and subtropical areas/
Chilean flamingos-Peru, both coasts of Southern South America (during the winter), Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, and Southern Brazil. Some flamingos have been spotted on the Falkland Islands and Ecuador as well. The lesser flamingo is primarily an African species found in eastern, southwestern, and western Africa, as well as a considerable population nesting in India. Flamingos can also be found in southern Spain.
.The James' flamingo are found in southern Peru, northeastern Chile, western Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina.
Andean flamingos are found in southern Peru, north-central Chile, western Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina.
The Caribbean flamingo is found throughout the Caribbean ( Cuba, the Bahamas, the Yucatan, Turks and Caicos), the Galapagos Islands, and the northern part of coastal South America.
The greater flamingo has the most widespread distribution of all flamingo species. Populations are found in northwest India, the Middle East, the western Mediterranean, and Africa. Limited numbers of this species can be found over much of northern Europe and eastward to Siberia".
Name:
The name of Pink Flamingo is derived from a Spanish or Portuguese word which means flame colored.
Appearance: Long legged pink birds with a hooked bill.
Size:
The adult flamingo is approx. 3.3 to 4.6 feet tall and weighs between 3.3 lbs-9 lbs.
Color:
This unique bird is beautiful and ornamental and comes in a variety of pink. red and orange colors based on the food they eat. Pink Flamingos kept in captivity and not fed the correct food will turn white. When Pink Flamingos are babies they are actually born a dull gray color and will not develop a pink color until they eat the right foods.
Foods Flamingos eat:
In their natural wetland environment Flamingos eat brine shrimp, larvae, and algae. Their unique coloring varies depending on how many foods they eat which contain beta carotene. "In the digestive system, enzymes break down carotenoids into pigments that are absorbed by fats in the liver and deposited, for flamingos, in the feathers and skin. To actually color the physical attributes, carotenoids must be ingested in very large amounts. Because the flamingo diet is nearly exclusively carotenoid-filled delicacies, the birds have no problem coloring themselves" (3).
Where Flamingos can be found:
"The flamingo's most characteristic habitats are large alkaline or saline lakes or estuarine lagoons that usually lack vegetation. Lakes may be far inland or near the sea. A variety of habitats are used by flamingos: mangrove swamps, tidal flats, and sandy islands in the intertidal zone (6). An estuarine lagoon is actually an Estuary, a ecosystem which connects to the open sea and enters with the rhythm of the tides. Sea water entering the estuary is then diluted by fresh water which flows from rivers and streams (7). Flamingos can be found in tropical and subtropical areas/
Chilean flamingos-Peru, both coasts of Southern South America (during the winter), Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, and Southern Brazil. Some flamingos have been spotted on the Falkland Islands and Ecuador as well. The lesser flamingo is primarily an African species found in eastern, southwestern, and western Africa, as well as a considerable population nesting in India. Flamingos can also be found in southern Spain.
.The James' flamingo are found in southern Peru, northeastern Chile, western Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina.
Andean flamingos are found in southern Peru, north-central Chile, western Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina.
The Caribbean flamingo is found throughout the Caribbean ( Cuba, the Bahamas, the Yucatan, Turks and Caicos), the Galapagos Islands, and the northern part of coastal South America.
The greater flamingo has the most widespread distribution of all flamingo species. Populations are found in northwest India, the Middle East, the western Mediterranean, and Africa. Limited numbers of this species can be found over much of northern Europe and eastward to Siberia".
Featured Video: These Flamingos Have Sweet Dance Moves
Flamingos gather in Argentina’s Laguna Brava for a special purpose. They dance to find a partner. Female flamingos if impressed with the male flamingos dance will mate with him and they will be mates for life (5).
Can you keep a flamingo as a pet or livestock?
You can see Pink Flamingos at most any zoo but you cannot legally keep wild birds as pets unless you are specifically licensed to do so. Zoo's are much like animal sanctuaries meant to preserve certain species while offering them on display to the public but they must obtain special permits and licenses in order to do this.
Origin of The Pink Plastic Lawn Flamingo
Most everyone from the 60's and 70's have seen the traditional and ever popular pink plastic lawn flamingos which were designed by Don Feathersone in 1957 and distributed by Union Products. The name of the first pink flamingo was Diego and has become an icon of pop culture which won him the Ig Nobel Prize for Art in 1996. (2).
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References
- Animal, flock, bird and hamburg | HD photo by Robert Katzki (@ro_ka) on Unsplash. (2019). Unsplash.com. Retrieved 8 April 2019, from https://unsplash.com/photos/LAjH4YqsKio
- Plastic flamingo. (2019). En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 8 April 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_flamingo
- Why Are Flamingos Pink?. (2019). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 8 April 2019, from https://www.britannica.com/story/why-are-flamingos-pink
- Flamingo Facts. (2019). Softschools.com. Retrieved 8 April 2019, from http://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/flamingo_facts/5/
- These Flamingos Have Sweet Dance Moves | Wild Argentina. (2019). YouTube. Retrieved 8 April 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLV_K7DVeyU
- All About Flamingos - Habitat and Distribution | SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. (2019). Seaworld.org. Retrieved 8 April 2019, from https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/flamingos/habitat/
- Estuary. (2019). En.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 8 April 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estuary
- All About Flamingos - Habitat and Distribution | SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. (2019). Seaworld.org. Retrieved 8 April 2019, from https://seaworld.org/animals/all-about/flamingos/habitat/