How Flamingos Keep Their Babies Safe
In How Flamingos Keep Their Babies Safe, narrator Sir David Attenborough shows how flamingos build their nests on tall mud stacks in Africa’s caustic soda lakes to stay safe from predators. The mud keeps most animals away, but flamingos can walk through it with their long legs. After a chick hatches, it stays in the nest for a week, as a fall into the mud too soon can prove dangerous or fatal. This video is excerpted from BBC's Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
Lesson Express
Q: How do the flamingos’ nesting behaviors help them survive in such a dangerous environment?
A: The flamingos’ nesting behaviors, such as building their nests high on stacks of mud, keep them above the dangerous caustic mud and predators. The height also helps regulate the temperature for their eggs. By staying in this location, they reduce the risk of predators because they cannot easily reach the nests.
Q: Why is it important for the flamingo chicks to stay in their nests for almost a week after birth?
A: Staying in the nest for almost a week allows the flamingo chicks to grow stronger and develop the skills they need to survive. During this time, they are protected from predators and can bond with their mother, who helps them stay safe. This period is crucial for their survival as they are too weak to protect themselves outside the nest.
Q: How might the flamingos' nesting behavior be an example of adaptation to their environment?
A: The flamingos' nesting behavior is an example of adaptation because they have learned to build their nests in a place that protects their eggs and chicks from predators. By choosing the caustic soda lakes and building nests on mud stacks, they are adapting to the harsh environment to ensure the survival of their young.
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