The Lesser Flamingo is the smallest and most numerous of all flamingo species. It stands about 3 feet tall and is easily recognized by its pink plumage, long legs, and distinctive downward-bent beak. The beak is specialized for filter-feeding on algae and small crustaceans, which give these birds their pink coloration.
These flamingos inhabit saline lakes and alkaline lakes in sub-Saharan Africa and India. They form large colonies, sometimes numbering in the thousands, creating spectacular sights. The lakes they choose are often inhospitable to other animals due to high salinity, but Lesser Flamingos thrive in these extreme conditions.
Lesser Flamingos are known for their intricate courtship displays, involving synchronized marching and head-turning. They lay a single egg on a mud mound, and both parents share incubation duties. Despite their large populations, they face threats from habitat loss and water pollution, impacting their breeding grounds.
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 »
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 »
Join us this week as we celebrate flamingos! There are six species of flamingo in the world and you can find them all here on Birdorable! American Flamingo James's Flamingo Greater Flamingo Chilean Flamingo Lesser Flamingo Andean Flamingo The Read more »
