Flamingoes are a type of wading bird in the genus Phoenicopterus, the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae. There are four flamingo species in the Americas and two species in the Old World. Flamingoes are the most instantly recognizable wading birds in the world.
Fast Facts about Flamingoes
1. There are only six species of flamingoes, but they are found around the world from the Caribbean and South America to Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
2. Flamingoes are strong but rare swimmers and powerful fliers, even though they’re most often seen just wading.
3. Flamingoes are large birds that are identifiable by their long necks, stick-like legs and pink or reddish feathers.
4. Flamingoes are filter feeders, living off algae and tiny animals such as shrimp, mollusks, and insect larvae that live in the mud at the bottom of shallow pools. When they eat, their head is positioned upside-down and they hold their breath. They suck water and filter the food.
5. Flamingoes are usually 42 inches long from the tip of the head to the tip of the tail, and are as tall as five feet. They weigh five to six pounds, and have a wingspan of 55 inches.
6. The flamingo’s pink or reddish colour comes from the rich sources of carotenoid pigments (like the pigments of carrots) in the algae and small crustaceans the birds eat. We eat carotenoids, too, whenever we munch on carrots, beets, and certain other veggies, but not enough to turn us orange or pink!
7. The greater flamingo is the largest flamingo species and can measure up to five feet tall, but only weighs a maximum of eight pounds. The lesser flamingo, which is found in Africa, is the smallest and can reach three feet tall.
8. Flamingoes build nests that look like mounds of mud along waterways.
9. The parents take turns sitting on the egg to keep it warm. Flamingo young are born white, with soft, downy feathers and a straight bill. The bill gradually curves downward as the flamingo matures.
10. Flamingoes live between 20 and 30 years.
