Student Article
Flamingo Guide: How to Identify Each Species, Where to See Them — and Why Flamingos Are Pink
Crustaceans (noun): Water animals with hard shells, like shrimp and crabs.
Carotenoids (noun): Pigments found in algae and crustaceans that turn flamingos pink.
Crop milk (noun): A nutrient-rich liquid made by birds to feed their young.
Monogamous (adjective): Having only one partner or mate at a time.
Dominance (noun): Power or influence over others, often shown through actions or behavior.
Did you know a flamingo's pink color comes from its food? These birds are full of surprises!
Where in the world are flamingos?
Flamingos are tall, eye-catching birds with long legs and curved bills. There are six species: greater, lesser, Chilean, Caribbean, Andean, and puna flamingos. They can be found in Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and parts of Asia and Europe. Their habitats include salt flats, lagoons, and shallow lakes.
What makes flamingos pink?
One of the most famous facts about flamingos is their pink color. But they aren’t born that way! Baby flamingos are gray and only turn pink over time. Their color comes from eating algae and small crustaceans like shrimp, which are rich in carotenoids — pigments that turn their feathers pink. Flamingos with the brightest feathers are usually the healthiest and most likely to become group leaders.
Life in the flock
Flamingos are social birds that live in large groups called colonies. They make a variety of sounds, including honks and grunts. These sounds help them communicate, especially when finding mates or caring for chicks. Scientists have even noticed that flamingos seem to know when it’s going to rain, although how they sense this remains a mystery.
Raising a chick the flamingo way
Both parents play a role in raising their young. Flamingos produce crop milk, a pink, nutrient-rich fluid made in their throats. They feed this to their chicks until the young birds can eat solid food. Flamingos are usually monogamous and they build cone-shaped mud nests to lay their eggs.
The long life of flamingos
Although flamingos may look graceful, they also show dominance in their groups by lightly shoving each other with their bodies or beaks. These interactions help decide who leads and who follows. Some flamingos live for decades — one captive flamingo in Australia lived to be 83 years old!
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Crustaceans (noun): Water animals with hard shells, like shrimp and crabs.
Carotenoids (noun): Pigments found in algae and crustaceans that turn flamingos pink.
Crop milk (noun): A nutrient-rich liquid made by birds to feed their young.
Monogamous (adjective): Having only one partner or mate at a time.
Dominance (noun): Power or influence over others, often shown through actions or behavior.