The American Flamingo, also known as the Caribbean Flamingo, is a striking bird with vibrant pink plumage, long legs, and a unique curved beak. Standing at about 4 to 5 feet tall, this flamingo is one of the larger flamingo species. Its vivid color comes from a diet rich in carotenoid pigments found in algae and crustaceans.
American Flamingos are primarily found in the Caribbean, the Galápagos Islands, and along the coasts of northern South America. They inhabit shallow, brackish waters, such as lagoons, mudflats, and salt pans. These birds often feed by stirring up the mud with their feet and using their specialized beaks to filter out food.
Their social behavior includes forming large colonies, which can include thousands of individuals. During breeding season, they engage in synchronized group displays to attract mates. They build cone-shaped nests out of mud where they lay a single egg, with both parents sharing incubation and chick-rearing responsibilities.
Flamingo Week continues today with some interesting flamingo extremes and odd facts about this family of pink birds. Extremely Social Birds Flamingos live in colonies that may number thousands of individuals. Breeding is also colonial, with birds typically separating into smaller groups of 7-25 pairs. Breeding follows synchronized dancing displays... Read more »
Because of their large size and flashy colors, flamingos capture the imagination of bird lovers and wildlife observers. And because some of the species in this family are facing threats to their survival, flamingos are often featured in the news. Here are some stories... Read more »
It's Flamingo Week and we're sharing some new Flamingo t-shirts for our T-Shirt Tuesday! Read more »
We're celebrating flamingos this week! Let's learn about these pink beauties -- here are some frequently asked questions about flamingos. Why do flamingos stand on one leg? The true reason that flamingos often stand one leg has long been debated. One popular theory is that a bird can conserve body... Read more »
