Where do flamingos live. Flamingos: interesting facts

Ecology

Main:

Flamingo is a large bird with beautiful pink or red feathers, also known for its long legs and slightly curved long beak.

The largest of the flamingos Pink flamingo - reaches 1.2-1.5 meters in height and weighs a maximum of 3.5 kilograms. The smallest flamingos lesser flamingo - only a little over 0.8 meters in length, its average weight is 2.5 kilograms.

Pink flamingos have the palest feather colors when caribbean flamingos famous for their bright pink, almost red feathers.

Flamingos come from an ancient family of birds, their ancestors, similar to modern views, lived on the planet already 30 million years ago, according to Smithsonian National Zoo.

Distinctive pink color flamingos depend on the food they eat. They feed on algae and shrimp, which contain pigments. carotenoids(it is these pigments that give the orange its orange color), which turn into red pigments during digestion.

© Arulonline / pixabay

When eating, flamingos lower their heads under water, draw in water with their beaks, sifting through the nutritious foods that they eat, and the water comes out through the upper beak. Tiny, hair-like filters help weed out food and release water. One study showed that a special float that supports the bird's head allows it to feed by turning its head upside down and keeping it on the surface of the water.

The long legs of flamingos help them to walk along the bottom even at relatively great depths in search of food, which gives them some advantages over other birds.

Flamingos are social birds that live in groups of various sizes. They gather in flocks when they fly from place to place, and also prefer to stay in groups when they are on the ground. Flamingos also have loud and piercing cries.

These birds can fly, but they need a short run to get off the ground. During the flight, they stretch their long necks and legs in one straight line.

Flamingos create pairs during the mating season, but find other partners the next season. The female and male build a nest together. The female lays only one egg per season, which is guarded by both parents. After the chick has hatched, both parents are also responsible for it and feed it.

The nest is usually built from mud and has a height of about 0.3 meters. The height allows you to protect it from floods and a very heated surface of the earth. After hatching, the chick has gray feathers, a pink beak, and legs. They do not acquire the characteristic pink feather coloration until 2 years of age.

After hatching, flamingo chicks remain in the nest for 5-12 days, they are fed a fatty substance with nutrients that is produced in the upper parts of the digestive tract of their parents. When the chick grows up, it begins to feed on its own along with the main group of birds in the so-called "crèche".

Flamingos have only a few natural enemies. In the wild, they live up to the age of 20-30 years, in captivity they live more than 30 years.

Habitats:

Flamingos are native to North and South America, Africa and Asia. Fossils show that they were previously distributed over much larger areas, including North America, Europe, and Australia.

pink flamingos They live in Africa, southern Europe and southwestern Asia. small flamingos found in Africa and the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent. Chilean flamingos found in southwestern South America. caribbean flamingos can be found in the Caribbean, in the north of South America, in the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula and the Galapagos Islands. In Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina live Andean flamingo and Flamingo James.

These birds prefer to live near salty shallow lakes, in coastal lagoons, on shallows and near estuaries.

Guard status:

Least concern: Pink flamingo, Caribbean flamingo

Near Threatened: Chilean Flamingo, Lesser Flamingo, James Flamingo

Vulnerable: Andean flamingo

The population of the Andean flamingo is in severe decline due to loss of habitat and environmental quality.

-- In East Africa, flamingos cluster in gigantic flocks of over a million individuals, forming the largest flocks of birds on the planet.

Of all the flamingo species, only the Andean flamingo has yellow legs.

The ancient Romans highly valued flamingo tongue as a delicacy. Flamingos also feed on eggs. different parts Sveta.

It is still not exactly clear why flamingos stand on one leg. According to one version, they pull one leg out of the cold water, which helps them save heat. During rest, they often bend one leg, which seems very comfortable for them.

Flamingos are one of the most amazing and controversial birds. On the one hand, their body is disproportionate: a short torso, a very long neck, incredibly thin legs, a small head and a curved beak are somehow disproportionate to each other. On the other hand, such disproportion is surprisingly harmonious and flamingos have become synonymous with grace and sophisticated beauty.

Red or Caribbean flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber).

At first glance, flamingos in their appearance resemble legged birds - storks, herons, cranes - but they are not related to any of the listed species. The closest relatives of flamingos are ... banal geese. Previously, flamingos were even classified as an Anseriformes, but then they were separated into a separate Flamingos order, which has only 6 species. All representatives of the detachment are medium-sized birds, weighing several kilograms. A distinctive feature of flamingos are their long legs and neck, which are necessary for moving through the shallow waters of reservoirs. The paws of flamingos are clawed like those of a goose. The large beak of a flamingo, as if broken in the middle, is also similar to a goose, its edges are dotted with small teeth. These cloves form a filtering apparatus with which flamingos get food.

The fringed edge of the flamingo's beak works like a whalebone.

All types of flamingos have a similar coloration from pale pink to deep scarlet. Flamingos are typical inhabitants of the tropics, but some species can tolerate the cold. So, South American species of flamingos inhabit the highlands of the Andes, where frosts are not uncommon. Pink, or common flamingos live in the subtropical and even in the south of the temperate zone; in the northern part of the range, these birds are migratory. There are cases when flamingos accidentally flew even to the territory of Estonia during flights. All species of flamingos live along the banks of shallow water bodies, and flamingos prefer water bodies with a high salt content. Such habits are due to the nature of nutrition. Flamingos feed on small crustaceans and microscopic algae, rich in coloring substances - carotenoids. These organisms are not found in fresh water, therefore, in search of food, flamingos are forced to populate extreme places. In some African lakes inhabited by flamingos, the water is so alkaline that it can literally corrode living flesh. Flamingos survive in such reservoirs thanks to the dense skin that covers the legs of birds, but with the slightest damage to it, inflammation occurs, which can end badly for the bird. By the way, flamingos owe these crustaceans their magnificent plumage color: pigments accumulate in feathers and give them a pink or red tint. When kept in a zoo, flamingos eventually lose their pigment and turn white. To keep their attractive appearance, coloring components, such as red pepper, are added to the bird feed. Such "artificial" birds can be recognized by the red-orange hue of feathers.

All flamingos are flocking birds living in large flocks of several thousand individuals. In search of food, flamingos gather in a dense flock and walk together in shallow water, churning the water with their paws. At the same time, they lower their beak into the water and filter edible living creatures through it.

Lesser flamingos (Phoeniconaias minor) feed on African Lake Nakuru.

Flamingos sleep right in shallow water, standing in the water. Flamingos fly well, but takeoff (like many goose birds) is associated with some difficulties.

First, flamingos accelerate by running, then with a flap of their wings they rise into the air, continuing to sort through their paws for some time by inertia. Flamingos fly with outstretched neck and legs.

Chilean flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis) in flight.

The nature of these birds is peaceful, they rarely fight with each other. During the mating season, flamingos arrange a collective "wedding" dance. They huddle together in a large group and mince through the shallow water with small steps, accompanying the procession with a deep chuckle.

The mating dance of the rarest of all species, the James flamingo (Phoenicoparrus jamesi).

Flamingos also nest together at a distance of 0.5 -1 m from each other, choosing hard-to-reach places for this - islands, marshy shores and shallows. Flamingo nests look very unusual - these are cone-shaped turrets up to 70 cm high, molded from silt and mud.

Flamingos in the nest.

At the top of such a cabinet is a tray with eggs. Such bird nests are built to protect the masonry from the caustic water of salt lakes. Flamingos are not very prolific and they have only 1-3 eggs in one clutch. Both parents take turns incubating them for a month. Flamingo chicks look even more amazing. In the first days of life, they look like adopted children because they do not look like their parents at all. The chicks are covered with white fluff, their legs are short, and their beak is completely straight! How can one not remember about the relationship with geese! Chicks are born quite developed, but the first days sit in the nest. Parents feed them a kind of " bird's milk"- a special burp from the goiter of a pale pink color.

Flamingo feeding a chick.

After two weeks, the beaks of the chicks begin to bend and they gradually switch to self-feeding, but for a long time they are under the supervision of adults. At the same time, the chicks gather in a herd, and several adult birds guard them, after a while the “watchmen on duty” change. For a long time, young animals have to walk like “ugly ducklings” with dirty gray plumage, because flamingos reach sexual maturity only by 3-5 years.

Young flamingo.

The life of a flamingo is full of dangers. Due to the peculiarities of their physiology, these birds often get injured, wounded flamingos in nature are almost doomed. Flamingos are hunted by almost all local predators - from hyenas and baboons to kites and foxes. Only a man, by some miracle, bypassed this bird with his gastronomic gaze. But people have always been attracted by the appearance of these birds, because of their beauty, all zoos sought to have them, but flamingos never became ordinary inhabitants of poultry houses. These near-water birds need to be kept in special conditions, and breeding is possible only when kept in large groups.

Flamingo is an unusually graceful and beautiful bird. It belongs to the flamingo order. These birds are the only ones in their order who have thin long legs and a graceful flexible neck. The flamingo bird, the photo and description of which we have prepared for you, is an amazing animal on our land.

Appearance of a flamingo

Flamingo feathers are loose and soft, the tail is short. There is no plumage on the head, chin and around the eyes. An adult flamingo grows up to 130 centimeters tall and can weigh about 4.5 kilograms.

Species, habitat and lifestyle

In nature, there are such types of flamingos as:

• flamingo James (settles in Peru, Chile, Argentina and Bolivia);
• common flamingo (lives in the southern regions of Eurasia and Africa);
• red flamingo (lives in South America, in the Galapagos Islands and near the Caribbean);
• Andean flamingo (lives in the same place as James's flamingo);
• small flamingo (lives in Africa, in southern India and eastern Pakistan);
• Chilean flamingo (found in the southwestern part of South America).

These magnificent animals settle only in large colonies; lagoons and shallow reservoirs are their favorite habitats. In general, flamingos are very resistant birds, they can even cope with those natural conditions which are beyond the power of some other species of birds. For example, a colony can live near very salty or high mountain lakes, and, in addition, birds are able to adapt to sudden temperature fluctuations.

The lifestyle is sedentary, with the exception of pink flamingos, which are migratory birds.

What is the basis of flamingo nutrition?

The favorite food of these birds are insect larvae, worms, small crustaceans, algae and mollusks. It is noteworthy that the pink color in flamingos is obtained due to crustaceans, which are eaten and contain carotenoids in their composition.

In general, flamingos get their food in shallow water. Above the bird's beak there is something like a "float". This "adaptation" gives the bird the opportunity for a long time, without much effort, to keep his head in the upper layer of water. The absorption of food occurs as follows: the bird draws a lot of water into its mouth, closes it, and with the help of a special “strainer”, the water is pushed through, and the plankton is swallowed inside.

Flamingos - perhaps the owners of the brightest plumage among all birds

Flamingo breeding

Flamingos are nesting birds. She builds her "dwelling" in a compaction of silt. building material small shells, mud, silt serve. The nests are in the shape of a cone. Flamingos incubate about three eggs. Eggs are large, white in color.

Little chicks hatch already quite developed. And, a few days after birth, they can already independently get out of the parental nest.

The food for babies is bird's milk, which the chicks eat for the first two months after hatching. This mixture is formed in the mother's esophagus and has a pinkish color, because a quarter consists of the blood of the parent. How blood gets there is a puzzle for biologists and zoologists. And yet, it is a fact.

How do chicks get enough of one bird's milk? There is nothing surprising in this, because this "mother" food is very nutritious in composition and is similar to the milk that is produced by mammals.

Listen to the voice of the flamingo

After the beak of baby flamingos is finally formed, they begin to get food on their own, from the water. To the size of adults, the chicks grow by two and a half months, at the same time they begin to fly.

The common flamingo, or as it is also called, the pink flamingo, is a bird from the flamingo-like order. This type of flamingo is the largest and most common. The pink flamingo is truly a bird of paradise, which is naturally unique, graceful and very beautiful. In this article you will find detailed description and a photo of a pink flamingo, and also learn a lot about the common flamingo.

Flamingo looks very graceful. This large waterfowl has thin, long legs and a flexible neck, and the unusual coloring of the flamingo has never gone unnoticed. Adult males and females of the common flamingo wear pale pink plumage. The wings of the flamingo bird are purple-red, with black flight feathers. Flamingo's slender legs have a pinkish tinge. The beak is also pink in color but has a black tip.

Flamingos look unusual not only because of the unique coloring of their plumage. The flamingo bird with enviable grace holds its long neck in the form of a question mark. Flamingos also stand on one leg with ease. To reduce heat loss, they take turns holding their legs in their plumage. From the outside, this position seems very difficult and uncomfortable. But in fact, it absolutely does not require any effort from the flamingo.

The flamingo bird has a massive down-curved beak. In flamingos, the movable part of the beak is the upper, not the lower part, which distinguishes it from many other birds. On the head of the common flamingo there are areas not covered with feathers - a bridle and a small ring around the eyes, which are red. The pink flamingo has a round body and a very short tail.

Flamingo looks like a rather large bird. The total body length is 120-130 cm. The weight of adults reaches a mass of 3.5-4 kg. They have 4 toes on their feet, 3 of which are connected by a swimming membrane.

Why are flamingos pink? The pink color of the plumage of flamingos is given by the substance carotene, which birds receive with food. Flamingos owe their pink coloration to small red crustaceans containing the same carotene.

In zoos, flamingos do not lose their unique coloration, as foods with carotene are added to their diet: carrots and sweet peppers, and of course, small crustaceans. Due to which the flamingo looks as bright as in the wild.

Where do flamingos live and how?

The pink flamingo is the most common type of flamingo. Flamingos live in Africa, southern Europe and southwestern Asia. In Europe, flamingo colonies live in southern France, Spain and Sardinia. In Africa, flamingos live in the south of the continent, as well as in Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania, Kenya and the Cape Verde Islands. The flamingo lives on the lakes of Southern Afghanistan, in Northwestern India and Sri Lanka. Also pink flamingo lives in several lakes of Kazakhstan.

In Russia, pink flamingos do not nest, but regularly migrate through its territory - at the mouth of the Volga River, in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories. It flies to the south of Siberia, as well as to Yakutia, Primorye, the Urals. Pink flamingos flying through Russia winter in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran.

Flamingos live all their lives in groups of different sizes, because they are social birds. Flying from place to place, they gather in flocks, and when on the ground they stay in groups. The pink flamingo lives on large lakes with salt water, in sea lagoons and estuaries, in shallow waters in hard-to-reach places and with a muddy bottom. Flamingos live along the banks of water bodies in large colonies that can number hundreds of thousands of individuals.

Basically flamingos live sedentary. These birds can roam within their habitat to find a place with more favorable living conditions or with a lack of food in the same place. Only northern populations of pink flamingos migrate for nesting.

Flamingos live in different conditions and are able to endure sharp temperature fluctuations. Pink flamingos are distinguished by good endurance and can even cope with extreme weather conditions, in which not every animal can survive. They are found near highly saline or alkaline lakes. This is due to large populations of crustaceans in salt water, where fish do not live due to high salinity. Pink flamingos also live on alpine lakes.

An ordinary flamingo can be in aggressive conditions of an alkaline and salty environment thanks to the dense skin on its legs. Also, to quench their thirst and wash off the salt, birds periodically visit nearby fresh water sources.

Poaching and active economic activity have led to a worldwide reduction in their population. So far, this species in the International Red Book has the status of "causing the least concern."

Flamingos feed on small crustaceans. Flamingos eat crustaceans as they are their main food. The pink flamingo also feeds on insect larvae, worms, mollusks and algae, which it finds in shallow water. In obtaining food, flamingos are helped by their beak, with which they filter food from water or silt.

The beak of the common flamingo has a specific structure, and along its edges there are filters in the form of tiny lamellar combs. Flamingos feed in shallow water with a muddy bottom in hard-to-reach places.

Looking for food, the common flamingo turns its head so that the upper mandible is at the bottom. The upper beak has a float that supports the head in the upper layers of water, especially rich in plankton. The pink flamingo feeds by taking water into its mouth and closing its beak, after which the bird pushes the water out through the upper beak, and swallows the food. All stages of flamingo nutrition occur very quickly.

The natural enemies of the pink flamingo are such predators as the fox, wolf, jackal and other predators. Large raptors that often live near flamingo colonies also pose a threat. In case of danger, flamingos take off. When taking off, they make a small run, which is successfully carried out both on water and on land. It is difficult for a predator to choose a specific prey from them, because there are many of them, and when flying, multi-colored wings with black feathers prevent the predator from focusing on the victim.

Pink flamingos are monogamous and form pairs that often persist throughout their lives. Although there are individuals who, in each mating season, find a new partner to create a family. Pink flamingos nest in colonies of several hundred and even thousands of pairs next to each other.

The nesting period of the common flamingo falls from May to July; for migratory flamingos, this period is somewhat extended and occurs from April to August. These birds can produce offspring, reaching the age of 3 years, however, the flamingo bird begins to nest only at the age of 5-6 years.

A couple of months before the start of nesting, unmatched pink flamingos arrange group mating demonstrations in the form of synchronous sequential movements of each participant. Both males and females take part in these mating dances. Color is a decisive factor for pink flamingos in determining the choice of a partner during the mating season. The female chooses the male. Intense coloring is a guarantee that the bird is healthy, has a good appetite and will give strong offspring.

Successful pairs of flamingos most often do not take part in demonstrations. Migratory flamingos arrange their mating dances while resting on the way to nesting sites. Pairs formed along the way are immediately ready for nesting. They build a nest in two weeks.

The construction of flamingo nests is unique and is a cone-shaped hill 60 cm high in shallow water made of clay and silt. The male and female build the nest together. Clutch 1-3 large eggs white color but most often 1 egg. Both parents participate in nest incubation. A flamingo chick is born after 30 days. The baby flamingo hatches well developed, active and leaves the nest in a few days.

Flamingos feed their chicks with bird's milk, which is colored pink. This food is produced in the esophagus of adult birds by special glands and is very nutritious. Surprisingly, not only females give milk, but also males. A newly hatched flamingo chick is first covered with white fluff, then changing it to gray. The legs of a baby flamingo are short and thick, the beak is red.

Pink flamingos have a kind Kindergarten where flamingo chicks are cared for while their parents forage for food. Such a group can include up to 200 flamingo chicks, but the parent immediately finds his baby by voice.

A baby flamingo feeds on milk for two months until its beak grows large so that it can feed on its own. By the age of three months, baby flamingos grow to the size of adults and can fly. During this period, flamingo chicks acquire a white-gray plumage, with a slightly pronounced pink tint.

Flamingo cubs acquire adult color by the age of three. The average lifespan of a pink flamingo is 30 years. But there are cases when in captivity flamingos lived up to 80 years.

If you liked this article and like to read about different animals of our unique planet, subscribe to site updates and get the latest and most interesting news about the animal world first.

Description of the bird

Flamingos in the water

Flamingo is a large waterfowl of the flamingo family, the average body length is 140 centimeters, the wingspan is 120-160 centimeters, and the weight is 2000-4500 grams.

Appearance

Flamingo walking on water

Flamingo birds have a unique body structure and plumage color. Flamingos are sociable wading birds, typically 90 to 150 centimeters tall with a barrel-shaped belly and a long, strongly arched neck. The head of a flamingo is small with a large massive beak, strongly curved down in the middle. Birds move on long stilts. The female flamingo is smaller than the male. The color of the feather in heterosexual birds is the same. The color scheme includes shades of pink - from white to burgundy. The legs of most bird species are yellow. Flight feathers and the tip of the beak are black.

What affects the color of the bird

Flamingos looking for fish in the lake

First of all, let's deal with coloring. The name "flamingo" comes from the Portuguese and Spanish words "flamengo", which means "fiery". The name of the flamingo genus is Phoenicopterus (from the Greek word "phoinikopteros") meaning "blood with red feathers". The color of the feathers and legs of a flamingo is obviously pink. But not everyone knows why this happened. The feathers and limbs of the bird acquired this color thanks to chemical- beta-carotene. The fact is that newborn flamingo chicks are fluffy and gray, with black legs and straight black beaks, and acquire a pink color during the first two years due to nutritional characteristics. Flamingos are omnivorous animals that eat blue-green algae, insects, but especially prawns, crustaceans and mollusks. Marine shrimp and crustaceans contain the natural pigment beta-carotene, which colors the legs and feathers of birds pink. Carrots, for example, are orange in color due to beta-carotene. Also, the bright color of feathers and skin is achieved due to fat-like coloring substances (lipochromes), which enter the bird's body along with crustaceans and algae. In the lakes where such "food" lives, the water becomes pale pink. If the bird does not eat crayfish, then the pigment will not stand out and the flamingo will turn white. Therefore, unwitting flamingos are white.

Beak

flamingo beak

The beak of a flamingo is long, massive and strongly curved down in the central part. The mandible accommodates a large tongue, and the mandible covers it. In the upper part of the mandible there are horny plates and denticles through which food and water are filtered. Flamingos search for food in water at shallow depths. The bird captures food, turning its head so that the beak is at the bottom. The beak works like a bucket, scoops up crustaceans along with silt. Then the flamingo presses its tongue against the “palate”, filtering water, dirt and silt through the holes in its beak, and swallows food. The flamingo eats upside down.

Photo: pink flamingo beak

The color of the flamingo's beak depends on the bird: the Andean Flamingo is white and black, the Red Flamingo is coral black, the Lesser Flamingo is black, the Pink Flamingo is pink and black, the Jace Flamingo is yellow and black, and the Chilean Flamingo is pink and black.

How many years live

According to the Basel Zoo, the average lifespan of a flamingo in the wild is 40 years. The typical lifespan in captivity is over 60 years.

Why does a flamingo stand on one leg?

Photo of a flamingo standing on one leg

Flamingos stand on one or both legs to feed, but sleep on one leg. Sleep seems to require both feet on the ground for balance - as the animal is unconscious. Why flamingos curl their legs has been of interest to people for a long time. Some recent discoveries have helped shed light on this age-old question. So let's take a closer look at this.

Theory one

Flamingo on one leg

What happens to the skin when you hold your foot for an hour, two, three in the water is known. The skin of the leg becomes like prunes. Wading birds have the same problem. Hence the suggestion that flamingos stand on one leg to dry the other leg. Since flamingos alternate which foot they have in the water, this theory seems possible, but the speculation is not popular.

Theory two

Flamingos on the lake stand on one leg

Some experts believe that the act of balancing a flamingo on one leg is linked to the brain. Animals such as dolphins and ducks turn off only one side of the brain during sleep. The leg, controlled by the side of the waking brain, remains on the ground to maintain balance. At this time, the other leg is resting. Other, common theories consider the phenomenon of standing on one leg in relation to the need for hunting or energy conservation of birds.

Theory three

A flock of flamingos sleep on one leg

Since the legs of a flamingo are long and make up most of the bird's height, it takes a lot of energy to pump blood through both legs. This is a big burden on the heart. Extending one leg and pulling the other towards the body allows the heart to pump blood more easily. At the same time, it retains body heat. It's like wrapping your arms around your torso to keep you warm in cold weather. However, this is an imperfect theory, since in hot weather flamingos also stand on one leg.

Theory Four

Flamingo landed on the lake

Another theory applies equally to both warm and cool climates. Many scientists believe that flamingos only keep one foot in the water to better camouflage themselves. There are many long and thin objects in water bodies, including reeds and small trees. A flamingo standing on one leg resembles a tree with a thin trunk, when viewed from the water where the bird's prey lives.

Latest scientific research

Photo of flamingos standing on one leg on the shore

Testing of bird carcasses has shown that flamingos support their body weight on one leg without the use of muscles. Essentially, maintaining one leg allows the flamingo to work better under gravity to support the weight. This theory is supported by the fact that birds actually tend to sway a lot less when they are standing on one foot compared to when they are standing on both feet. This suggests that standing on one leg helps flamingos maintain their weight.

Why exactly they developed this ability to rest so much remains unclear. Researchers continue to study the exact physical mechanisms that allow birds to perform such a trick.

What does it eat

Flamingo looking for something to eat

In the wild, flamingos feed on algae, crustaceans, sea shrimp, diatoms and aquatic plants. The zoo serves special "flamingo food". To keep the pink color in the zoo, flamingos are fed a commercially prepared diet high in carotenoids. It is estimated that an ordinary flamingo eats up to a quarter of its own weight in food per day. A colony of up to half a million pink flamingos in India consumes 145 tons of food per day.

Why was it called

Flamingo bends its neck

Flamingos are the oldest representatives of birds on earth. According to scientists, these birds originated in places with a hot, humid climate - Asia, Africa and Latin America. The name of the birds was given by Latin Americans. They have the word "flamma" in their vocabulary, meaning "fire". The plumage of these birds really looks like fire - just as bright.

There is a legend according to which the mythical bird "phoenix" was reborn into a fiery flamingo.

Spreading

area

flamingo range

Heat-loving birds are common in regions with a tropical and subtropical climate. Numerous flamingo populations are concentrated in Central Asia and Africa. Birds also live in South America, the Caribbean, southern Europe, India and Kazakhstan.

habitats

For nesting, flamingos choose desert areas off the coast of salt lakes and lagoons. They choose places with enough food so as not to make long flights in search of food for as long as possible. The Andean flamingo prefers to settle high in the mountains, in areas with alkaline lakes.

Kinds

Ornithologists distinguish six species of flamingos, most of them live in South America. All flamingos are similar in type of food and habitats.

Photo of the Andean flamingo

• Latin name: Phoenicopterus andinus
• Weight: 2500 g

The Andean flamingo lives in the Andes. Distributed in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina. It settles near salt lakes and reservoirs with a high content of gypsum, caustic soda and hydrogen sulfide. The Andean species is related to the James flamingo. The species differ in size: the Andean is larger than the James flamingo. In addition, the first tip of the beak is wider than the second species. The Andean flamingo feeds on crustaceans and algae.

Andean flamingo in the water

The feather color of the Andean flamingo is pale pink. Dark strokes encircle the neck and fall on the chest. The tail has dark red feathers. The bright pinks and reds come from the pigment that the birds get from their food (crayfish). The Andean flamingo, unlike other species, has yellow legs.

Flock of Andean flamingos

The number of Andean flamingos is decreasing every year. This is due to the reduction of suitable habitats and environmental degradation. According to ornithologists, there are 60,000 white and pink birds left in the world.

Red flamingo photo

• Latin name: Phoenicopterus ruber
• Weight: 2000-3000 g
• Conservation status: rare species, listed in the Red Book

The red flamingo lives in the Galapagos and Caribbean islands, as well as on the southern coasts of Latin America. Settles in lagoons and salt lakes. It feeds on crustaceans, mollusks, worms, diatoms and blue-green algae. Flamingos weigh 2.5-3.5 kilograms. The length of an adult male is 110 centimeters, females - 90-100 centimeters. There is no sexual dimorphism. The female is ready for fertilization by the age of six. The mating season falls on the summer season. Both parents are involved in breeding offspring.

Flock of red flamingos

The Red Flamingo has bright plumage. The color range is from white to pink and bright red. The iris is yellow, the legs are gray. The flamingo has a thin long neck and an elegant small head with a weighty powerful beak.

Red flamingo swims in the water

The red flamingo is a very rare bird species; according to ornithologists, there are 21-22 thousand red flamingos in the world.

Small flamingo photo

• Latin name: Phoeniconaias minor
• Weight: 1500-2000 g
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

The smallest member of the flamingo family. An adult bird weighs 2 kilograms. Body length - 80-100 centimeters, wingspan - 95 centimeters. The plumage of the lesser flamingo is pale pink. The young are painted white. In adults, crimson feathers are present on the chest and wings. The legs are red. Its upper beak is narrower than that of other flamingos, but it has a keel descending into the depths of the beak. The beak is black with yellow stains in the central part. The eyes are orange.

Small flamingo eats

The lesser flamingo breeds in Africa. Small populations are seen in western India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Spain. Birds shy away from humans, settle in remote desert places. Small flamingos accumulate in flocks of 300-500 individuals, fill salt marshes and salt lakes. The diet includes algae, small insects and krill.

Small flamingo in the water

This is the most numerous type of flamingo. There are 3 million birds in the population. Most of the small flamingos live in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania (1.2-1.5 million individuals), 650 thousand nest in India and Pakistan. The lesser flamingo leads a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Birds react quickly to changes in water levels and climate. If conditions become unsuitable, the birds migrate to other regions of Africa.

Photo of common flamingo (Pink Flamingo)

• Latin name: Phoenicopterus roseus
• Weight: 3400-4000 g
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

The most common species on earth. The pink flamingo is the only one that lives in the countries of the former Soviet Union– in Kazakhstan (on the lakes Tengiz, Chelkartengiz and Ashchitastysor). Small colonies nest in southern France and Spain, Africa (Tunisia, Morocco, Kenya, south of the continent). Pink flamingos also live in Afghanistan, Northwest India and Sri Lanka. In Russia, the Common Flamingo does not live permanently, but regularly migrates to the mouth of the Volga River, Dagestan, Kalmykia, Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol Territory. It is regularly observed in the south of Siberia, in Altai and the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

The pink flamingo weighs 4 kilograms. The length of the bird is 130 centimeters.

Pink flamingo in the water

In adult birds, the plumage is pale pink. Salmon wings. The area around the eyes and beak are pink. The tip of the beak is black. The young growth is painted in "dirty" pink color. Birds are ready for breeding by the age of three.

Photo of flamingo James

• Latin name: Phoenicoparrus jamesi
• Weight: 1800-2000 g
• Conservation status: rare species

The James Flamingo is a small species of bird that lives in the mountainous regions of Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Until 1956, this species was considered extinct, until scientists found a small family of flamingos in southern Bolivia near Lake Colorado. The number of flamingos James is 26 thousand birds.

Flamingo James in the water

Flamingo James is a medium-sized bird. The average weight of an adult male is 2 kilograms. Body length - 90 centimeters. The body is painted white, the neck is light pink. There are fiery red strokes on the chest and wings. The tip of the short tail is black. The legs are dirty yellow, the area around the eyes is red. The beak is short, yellow with a black tip. The chicks are greyish in color.

James' flamingo flock

The James flamingo feeds on diatoms. It prefers to settle high in the mountains, where not every bird can survive. In Bolivia, two national reserves have been established to protect flamingos. Hunting these birds and their eggs is prohibited.

Photo of the Chilean flamingo

• Latin name: Phoenicopterus chilensis
• Weight: 2500 g
• Conservation Status: Least Concern

The Chilean flamingo lives in the southwest of Latin America, in Chile, Peru, Bolivia. Prefers to arrange nesting near the sea coasts, salt lakes at an altitude of 4.5 thousand meters above sea level. Lives in flocks of 20-30 birds.

The growth of flamingos reaches 130 centimeters. Color white and pink. The beak is black. "Knees" are red (a hallmark of the Chilean flamingo).

A flock of Chilean flamingos are flying in the sky

The bird feeds on crayfish, algae, unicellular. The population of the Chilean species is more than 100 thousand birds.

Lifestyle

Flamingos lead a sedentary lifestyle. Only the Pink Flamingo, living in the temperate climate zone, makes seasonal migrations. Some colonies have to move out due to climate change, drying up of water bodies and a sharp reduction in food. During the migration period, the flock flies up to 1.5 thousand kilometers. In flight, birds reach speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour.

A flock of flamingo birds look up into the sky

Flamingos are socially developed birds. They live in large families, accumulate in thousands of flocks (the number reaches tens of thousands of birds). The family is divided into clans, which differ in terms of egg laying. Ornithologists noted that the desire to breed in birds appears only in conditions of mass. Flamingos living alone rarely breed.

A flock of flamingos in a swamp

Flamingo is a wetland inhabitant. Birds wander lazily on the water during the daytime and look for food. Flamingos rarely and reluctantly fly. The bird has short wings and in order to fly, it has to scatter. In flight, flamingos often flap their wings. Staying in the air for a long time and making long flights allows the streamlined shape of the body, which is achieved due to straightened legs and neck.

reproduction

Photo of female and male flamingos

The nesting season falls between May and August. In March, the behavior of birds changes. Males become aggressive, impulsive. They arrange fights for the female they like or for a place to build a nest. During mating games, birds arrange demonstration fights, "runs" in front of the public. Flamingos are monogamous birds. Young birds choose their partner once and for all. An educated couple does everything together: the birds protect each other, sing “songs” in a duet, select a place for nesting, build a dwelling, breed offspring.

Photo of flamingo eggs

Bird nests are built from mud and silt. The dwelling is a cone-shaped structure 40 centimeters deep, more like a pit than a traditional bird's nest. Some flamingos prefer to lay their eggs in rocks or just on the sand. The clade contains one, rarely two white eggs. Both parents are engaged in incubation, they are replaced once a day. A month later, a chick is born.

Photo of a flamingo chick

At newborn age flamingo chick physically developed: actively eats food, tries to take off, controls legs well. The cub is born with abundant gray down and short thick gray limbs. The beak is straight, it will become curved by the end of the second month of life. A week after birth, the chicks first climb out of the nest, communicate with other birds.

In the photo, a flamingo chick is running

Flamingo chicks are picky eaters. For the first two months, babies do not eat meat, fish and insects. Flamingos feed their chicks with bird's milk (milk is produced not only by the female, but also by the male). By the way, the milk is slightly colored pink, because 23% consists of the blood of the parent. Parental milk is high in fat, protein and some plankton. The chick feeds on milk for 50-60 days, until the beak grows enough to be able to get food out of the water.

Flamingo chick sits in a nest

Adult flamingos watch not only their cub, but also take care of other chicks that have appeared in a large family. Orphaned chicks are taken under guardianship by other parents. In this regard, flamingos are similar to penguins: while some adult birds forage, others watch their offspring at this time. Then the birds switch roles. In one children's group there are 150-200 cubs. Parents find their child by voice.

Natural enemies of flamingos

Flamingos are attacked by another bird

Flamingos are hunted by large birds of prey - eagles, falcons. They destroy nests and eat eggs. A flock of kites often attacks busy hatching adult flamingos. True, mutual assistance is strong in the flamingo bird family. Birds bravely rush to protect the eggs, fighting bloodthirsty predators.

Flamingos are hunted by predators

Flamingos feed not only birds, but also animals. It is not difficult for wolves, foxes, jackals to catch prey, since flamingos cannot run fast. In addition, outside the nesting period, flamingos are slow and phlegmatic. Predatory animals settle near the flamingo colony to regularly taste their juicy meat.

Poachers sell flamingos

In addition to birds of prey and mammals, humans hunt flamingos. Poachers mass exterminate these birds because of their unique plumage. Feathers used for jewelry and souvenirs are sold by hunters for a lot of money. Flamingo meat is not to human taste, but eggs are considered a delicacy. Exotic lovers destroy nests, steal eggs and take them to other countries.

A flock of flamingos on the shore of a pond

The number of flamingo birds is rapidly declining. This is due to climate change and human activities. There are fewer and fewer places suitable for the habitation of this peaceful calm bird. Reservoirs dry up, water becomes polluted, food becomes scarce. Birds are dying because they have nowhere to live. In countries where flamingos nest, protective measures are taken to preserve species diversity. Bird hunting is prohibited by law, and flamingo habitats are becoming protected areas.

Video