Where does the pink flamingo bird live? Curious facts about flamingos

Many people are surprised when they learn that a flamingo is a bird. This is a very beautiful word. But when you see this bird with your own eyes, you cease to doubt that this name suits it. The word "flamingo" means "red feather". And it is right. After all, representatives of this family have red or bright pink feathers with black edging around the edges, which is visible only during flight.

What does it look like?

Flamingo is a bird, a brief description of which you will find in this article. Having seen her once, you will no longer confuse her with any other. These birds also have legs. Moreover, the neck often gets tired, and they put their head on the body to give the stiff muscles a rest. The large beak consists of keratinized particles. It is curved in such a way that it is convenient for them to catch food from the water. A peculiarity of the structure of the flamingo’s mouthparts is that its upper jaw is mobile, not the lower. Flamingo is a bird that reaches a height of 90 to 135 cm and has a wingspan of 140-165 centimeters. Males are larger than females. The color of the feathers leaves an unforgettable impression. The pink flamingo is especially beautiful. A bird to which songs and poems are even dedicated. The color of her feathers depends on the food she eats. The pink color comes from carotenoids found in small crustaceans. The more of them a bird eats, the brighter its color will be.

How does he eat?

The structure of the flamingo is specially adapted for the lifestyle that the bird leads. with membranes, they rake the bottom of the shallow water from which it feeds. The hard beak filters water; for this purpose, there are bony protrusions on its edges. The flamingo is a bird that eats very small food, and in order not to swallow large amounts of water, it engages in straining, as a result of which the water collected in its beak is poured back out, but the food remains. To get food, it lowers its head completely into the water. Interestingly, flamingo tongues were eaten in ancient Rome. A dish made from it was considered a delicacy. But this muscular organ helps birds pump water into their mouths. What do flamingos eat? The answer is simple - everything that gets into their beak. After all, they do not have the opportunity to spit out what they do not like. Therefore, in their stomachs they find silt, small fish, small crustaceans, and mollusks. Flamingo is a bird that lives in a group. But while eating, she will fiercely defend her territory.

The secret is out

Representatives of the flamingo family have other behavioral features. For example, they like to stand on one leg. Moreover, it has been noticed that they do this mainly in water. Scientists have calculated that the period of standing on one leg can be about one hour. You've probably wondered why waterfowl are attracted to this position. The thing is that this is how birds improve their thermoregulation. Simply put, they tuck their paws in to keep warm. It's not easy to stand in cold water for a long time. They fly with their legs extended to their full length, and in flight they make sounds similar to a goose cackling. Flamingo is a beautiful bird. A flock of these creatures, consisting of thousands of individuals, looks wonderful. But flamingos don't get together to show off.

Time to multiply

In a large colony, it is easier to warn each other about the appearance of a predator and find a life partner. Interestingly, birds reproduce better in a large flock. Flamingos attract females through a ritual movement. If the female is interested, she begins to repeat the movements of the male. Flamingos can be considered a model of fidelity. After all, these birds often create one pair for life and raise their chicks together. During the mating season, adults gather near a source of fresh water. They begin their ritual movements, trying to show the size and beauty of their plumage. Flamingos spread and stretch their wings and try to touch other nearby birds with their beaks and wingtips. Scientists have noticed that both males and females do this. Moreover, an observer from the outside will not be able to determine the sex of the birds. After all, they have the same color. Females repeat the movements of males. If the couple likes each other, then the female begins to move away from the group, continuing to make movements that attract the male. The male will begin to sway and follow his lady to continue the race.

My house

Flamingos can breed at any time of the year. Although they prefer to do this at the beginning of summer. During this period, the water is warmer, and there are more opportunities to create a nest and obtain food. These birds build their nest from clay. It is a hill with a depression in the middle in which the female will lay her egg. In order to make bedding, flamingos use branches, feathers and leaves. The female lays one milky white egg. Both partners do incubation. When one of them sits on the nest, the other gets food for itself. Chicks are born after 28-32 days. And although fur babies are born with their eyes open, they cannot feed themselves and are unable to fly. The chicks stay in the nest for 5-8 days. The babies come into contact with “children” from other nests. Parents distinguish their offspring by the sounds they make. This is ensured by an interesting natural mechanism. The fact is that small birds begin to make sounds while still in the egg. Parents get used to them and recognize their babies when they are born.

This is not a myth

But the chicks also recognize their parents by the voice they hear at a distance of 100 meters. They approach them, having caught a special call. It is not customary for flamingos to feed other people's chicks. If the parents do not do this, the baby will die of hunger. It turns out that bird's milk is not fiction. It is this drink that flamingos feed their chicks. Moreover, it is very similar in composition to human, and is produced thanks to the hormone prolactin. Only chicks, of course, feed differently than young mammals. Bird milk is secreted from a special nutritious secretion, which is located in the beak of an adult bird. It is noteworthy that it is not white, but red. Together with it, the first pigments enter the chick's body, which color its feathers pink.

We need to save

Yes, flamingos are a Red Book bird about which, unfortunately, already has an entry on its pages. Nowadays, there is a struggle to preserve them. From whom should these creatures be protected? In their natural habitat, they have enemies - predators who not only hunt adult individuals, but also destroy their eggs. Moreover, these are not only foxes, badgers, hyenas, baboons, wild boars, but also Turkish vultures and yellow gulls. Also, the enemy of the flamingo is man. He eats the eggs and meat of these beautiful birds. He also uses feathers that have an unusual color.

Kinds

Flamingo is a bird, a brief description of which you found in this article. I would like to mention that there are six species in their genus, which have minor differences from each other. The Andean flamingo is 120 centimeters tall and has white and pink plumage with black flight wings. He has yellow paws. The red flamingo has red plumage, although it can be bright pink. The pink flamingo is the largest among its brothers. His height may be 135 centimeters. Its feathers are soft pink. The wings are red, with black flight feathers. The small flamingo is small in height, only about 90 centimeters. Its feathers are light or dark pink. The shape of the beak has slight differences. James's flamingo is almost the same size and color, but it has a bright yellow beak with a black tip.

This is what she is, a flamingo bird. The description for children may be somewhat simplified. But they should definitely learn about one of our planet’s very own, and why it has such a color.

This article presents which in Russian regions can be found almost only in zoos. Surprisingly mesmerizing with its magnificent grace and unusual coloring of feathers, it is sung in songs. Where do flamingos live? What are the conditions of their captivity, their characteristics and habits, what do they eat?

The red flamingo has pink to purple or bright red plumage.

Flamingo small

Of all modern species, the small one has the smallest size. Its body length is only 80 cm (others are more than 100 cm). In this species, the beak has a keel that descends into the depths of the beak. Its food mainly consists of algae.

When searching for food, the small flamingo does not lower its beak to the bottom, but simply moves it along the surface of the water from side to side. It nests on the salt lakes of Tanzania, Kenya, as well as off the coast of the Persian Gulf (Lake Sambhor in India).

Andean flamingo

Its habitat is salt lakes located in the Andes at an altitude of 2500 meters (north and center of Chile, southern Peru, northwestern Argentina and western Bolivia). They prefer lakes, and often waters with a high content of gypsum, caustic soda and hydrogen sulfide.

Adult flamingos are colored white-pink or beautiful pink-red colors are caused by the pigment that enters the birds' bodies with crustaceans (food). The flight wings of this bird are black, the legs are yellow.

Flamingo James

The birds live in the Andes of Bolivia and Northern Argentina. Food: diatoms. There are colonies of this species that also live in harsh mountain conditions.

This species, also called short-beaked, is very rare.

Chilean flamingo

This is a relatively short-legged flamingo found in South America. On mountain lakes (Andes) it can live together with the species of short-billed flamingos.

The color of the Chilean flamingo is light: scarlet or white-pink. Red shades are developed on the wing coverts, which is why flamingos received the Latin name meaning “fire-winged”. The legs are greenish, but the knees and paws are red.

Conclusion

Where do flamingos live in North America?

These birds belong to one of the oldest bird families. Their remains, which are closest to modern forms, date back to 30 million years ago, and the fossils of more primitive species date back to more than 50 million years ago.

They were found in places where flamingos do not live today: some parts of Europe, North America and Australia. This suggests that in the past these amazing birds had a wider habitat.

Flamingo(lat. Phoenicopterus) is a genus of long-legged birds, which is the only representative of the order Flamingidae and the family Flamingidae. Flamingos cannot be confused with any other bird due to the peculiarities of their body structure and the amazing color of their plumage.

These are quite large birds (height 120-145 cm, weight 2100 - 4100 g, wingspan 149-165 cm), and females are smaller than males and have shorter legs. The flamingo's head is small, its beak is massive and in the middle part it is sharply (knee-shaped) bent downwards. Unlike most birds, flamingos have a moving part of their beak that is the lower part, not the upper part. Along the edges of the mandible and mandible there are small horny plates and denticles that form a filtering apparatus.

Flamingos have very long legs, with 4 toes, the three front ones being connected by a swimming membrane. The plumage of these birds is loose and soft. The color of the plumage of different subspecies of flamingos ranges from soft pink to intense red, the tips of the wings are black. The pink and red color of the plumage is due to the presence of pigments in the tissues - fat-like coloring substances of the carotenoid group. Birds obtain these substances from food, from various crustaceans.

In captivity, after 1-2 years, the pink-red tint of plumage usually disappears due to a monotonous diet. But if you specifically add red carotenoids contained in carrots and beets to flamingos’ food, the birds’ color always remains rich. Young birds are gray-brown; they “put on” their adult plumage only in the third year of life.

The issue of flamingo classification has been the subject of debate among experts for many years. Flamingos share characteristics with various groups of birds, and it remains unclear which group they are most closely related to. They are anatomically similar to storks, and behavioral characteristics are more similar to waterfowl such as geese.

Until recently, flamingos were classified as members of the order Cioriformes, but scientists have come to the conclusion that flamingos should be placed in a separate order - Flamingos (lat. Phoenicopteriformes).

The number of species is still debated, but most taxonomists divide the Flamingidae family into six species:

• Common flamingo- lives in Africa, southern Europe and southwestern Asia.
• Red flamingo- inhabits the Caribbean, northern South America, the Yucatan Peninsula and the Galapagos Islands.
• Chilean flamingo- found in the southwestern regions of South America.
• Lesser flamingo- found on the territory of the African continent, in the northwestern part of India and the eastern regions of Pakistan.
• Andean flamingo And Flamingo James- live in Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.

The largest of the species is the Common Flamingo, its height reaches from 1.2 to 1.5 meters, weight – up to 3.5 kg. The smallest species is the Lesser Flamingo, which is 80 cm in height and weighs about 2.5 kg.

Flamingos belong to one of the most ancient bird families. The fossils of flamingos closest to modern forms date back to 30 million years ago, while fossils of more primitive species have been found to date back more than 50 million years.

The fossils were discovered in places where flamingos are no longer seen today - parts of Europe, North America and Australia. This indicates that they had a much wider range in the past.

The six species of flamingos are divided into two groups based on the size and shape of their beaks. The beaks of the Common, Red and Chilean flamingos have widely spaced plates that allow them to feed on small crustaceans, mollusks, insects, plant seeds and small fish.

Birds from the second group - Andean, Lesser and James's flamingos are more limited in their diet due to the narrow distance between the beak plates. These types of flamingos are able to eat only small food (in particular algae and plankton), filtering it.

Thanks to a special diet rich in carotenes, the plumage of flamingos acquires a pink color. All flamingos, except the northern populations, lead a sedentary lifestyle. Flamingos wait until the rainy season to hatch their chicks. Heavy rains not only provide them with food and building material for the nest, but also protect them from predators. The basis of the pink flamingo's diet is the small reddish crustacean Artemia and its eggs. In addition, flamingos feed on other crustaceans, as well as mollusks, insect larvae, and worms. Some species eat blue-green algae and diatoms. They look for food in shallow water areas. Having gone far into the water, with their long legs, flamingos lower their heads under the water and dig with their beaks at the bottom of the reservoir. In this case, the crown of the bird almost touches the bottom, the upper jaw is at the bottom, and the lower jaw is at the top. Flamingos drink brackish and fresh water during rain, licking drops of water running down their plumage.

In high cone-shaped nests made of shell rock, silt and mud, flamingos hatch one (rarely two or three) large eggs. After two and a half months, the chicks grow up and begin to fly independently, and after three years they can have their own offspring. Flamingos nest in large colonies of up to 20,000 pairs (in India - up to 2,000,000 pairs). The nest is a truncated cone made of silt and gypsum. There are 1-2 eggs in the clutch, which are incubated by the male and female for 27-32 days; both parents also take care of the offspring. The chicks hatch covered in down, sighted and with a straight beak. For two months, parents feed them “belching”, which, in addition to semi-digested food, contains secretions from the glands of the lower part of the esophagus and proventriculus. This liquid is comparable in nutritional value to mammalian milk and is light pink in color due to the presence of carotenoids. The chicks leave the nest a few days after hatching and, at about a month of age, change their first downy plumage to a second one. The chicks left without their parents for a while, having already left the nest, gather in large (up to 200 chicks) groups and are under the supervision of the few “duty teachers” remaining on site. Young people acquire the ability to fly on the 65-75th day of life; at the same age, their filtering apparatus is finally formed.

Flamingos are monogamous and form pairs for at least several years. At nesting sites, birds only protect the nest itself. In the wild, they apparently live up to 30 years, and in captivity even longer (up to 40 years).

Flamingos are sometimes called the “bird of fire” because some have really bright plumage. Sometimes flamingos are called the “bird of dawn” because other species have soft pink plumage. These birds have a very long neck and legs, and, as Professor N.A. Gladkov wrote, “if we talk about relative sizes, the flamingo can rightfully be considered the longest-legged bird in the world.” There are many interesting legends about flamingos. For example, one of them tells that one day water snakes decided to take away their chicks from flamingos. But the birds did not give their chicks to the snakes. Then the snakes began to torture the birds - they began to bite their legs, gradually rising higher and higher. But the birds endured and stood motionless in the water until the chicks grew up. And the chicks, as if knowing what was happening, “tried” to grow faster. It is curious that in this legend, which naturally has nothing to do with the color of the flamingo’s legs, one real detail is noted: flamingo chicks are born helpless, but soon, after two to three days, they become quite independent.

It is difficult to imagine a more amazing and unusual bird than the flamingo. The color of the plumage of different species can vary greatly from delicate pink, orange to a rich red hue. In addition, the bird's long legs and unusual curved beak attract attention. Flamingos are famous for their grace and sophisticated beauty. It deserves to learn in more detail about its habitats, breeding and feeding habits.

Description of graceful birds

The most common species is the common flamingo, or, as it is also called, the pink one. The bird belongs to the order Flamingidae. The description of flamingos should begin with the fact that this species is the largest. The bird resembles a creature from the Garden of Eden. Despite the fact that she can most often be seen walking along the shore of a reservoir, she is an excellent swimmer. The unusual color of flamingos is impossible not to notice. In adult males and females, the main plumage is pale pink, the wings are purplish-red, and the flight feathers are black. The skin on long and thin legs also has a pink undertone. The bird has a large beak, as if broken in the middle, with a black tip.

When describing flamingos, one cannot fail to mention that they are somewhat similar to storks, cranes, and herons. But they have no relationship with these birds. The closest relatives of flamingos are ordinary geese. Previously, they were even part of the order Anseriformes. On average, a flamingo weighs several kilograms and has webbing between its front toes.

The appearance of the pink flamingo can be safely called exotic, due to the unique shade of its plumage. The birds hold their necks gracefully and gracefully, looking like a question mark. Very often you can see how these representatives of birds stand on one leg. In order not to freeze, they alternately tuck and hide one leg in their plumage. This situation seems difficult and inconvenient to people, but for them it is very simple.

The pink flamingo has small red rings and a frenulum “painted” around its eyes. The body is round, the tail is short. The bird is quite large, the body length is 120-130 cm. Adults can reach a weight of 4 kg. Each paw has four toes and three connecting membranes.

Why are flamingos so beautiful, what determines the pink color of their plumage? These birds have this coloring due to lipochromes (fatty pigments or carotenes) that they receive from food. Flamingos eat red crustaceans, which are high in carotene. Food is obtained by filtering water and mud using its beak. In zoos, these birds are just as beautiful because carotene-rich foods are specially added to their food: carrots, bell peppers, and shellfish.

Flamingo habitats

Common flamingos can be found in different parts of the world. Many people are eager to find out where flamingos live. They can be found in Africa and southwest Asia. This bird also lives in southern Europe - in France, Sardinia, and Spain. Places where flamingos live always attract tourists.

Birds can also be found in African countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Kenya, and the Cape Verde Islands. They also live in the south of Afghanistan, northwest India, and Sri Lanka. These birds also show off on several lakes in Kazakhstan.

Where do flamingos live in Russia? It is important to note that birds do not nest on the territory of the Russian Federation, but only sometimes migrate along the mouths of southern rivers. So, they can sometimes be seen on the Volga and next to other flowing reservoirs of the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories. Sometimes they fly to Siberia, Yakutia, Primorye, and the Urals, but only in the warm season. They go to Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Iran for the winter.

Flamingos are social birds; they live in colonies of varying numbers. For flights, they gather in flocks, and already on the ground they form groups. Their favorite habitats are salt lakes, sea lagoons, estuaries, and shallow waters. Most often they roam in large groups in places with muddy bottoms. Some pink flamingo colonies number hundreds of thousands of individuals.

These are sedentary birds; they roam only to find places for favorable living with sufficient food. Flights are made only by representatives of northern populations.

The living conditions of flamingos differ in different countries. Birds are quite hardy. Their favorite places are salty and alkaline lakes, where there are many crustaceans. Such reservoirs are usually located in the mountains. Birds stand in salt water all day long and do not feel discomfort due to the thick skin on their legs. To quench their thirst, they sometimes fly to springs with fresh water. Flamingos sleep standing in the water.

Nutrition

You already know where the flamingo lives, but what does this bird eat? The article has already mentioned small mollusks. Small crustaceans form the basis of the diet. Flamingos also eat worm larvae, insects, mollusks, and algae. Birds look for all this in shallow water in a thick layer of silt. The beak of these birds has a specific structure; along its edges there are filters that look like small plate-like combs. It plays the role of a kind of sieve. The flamingo keeps its beak in the upper layers of water, where there is a lot of plankton. The bird first draws water into it, then closes it and releases liquid through the beak, and swallows the food. This process goes very quickly.

Reproduction

The pink flamingo is a monogamous species that forms pairs that last a lifetime. There are exceptions where some individuals seek a new partner for each mating season. To hatch chicks, they build nests, which are located in large clusters, very close to each other.

Individuals older than three years are considered sexually mature. However, older birds (5-6 years old) are engaged in building nests. Several months before nesting, pairs engage in mating games. Both males and females take part in peculiar dances. This is an amazingly beautiful sight. Large groups of birds move in unison with necks straight and heads raised, which are constantly turned from side to side. When choosing a partner, plumage color plays an important role. The decision remains with the female; she chooses the male. The intensity of the color indicates the bird’s health and good appetite. The brighter it is, the more likely males are to be chosen by a female.

Those couples who took place earlier do not take part in the dances. Migratory birds perform mating displays in resting areas. As soon as they fly to the nesting sites, they immediately begin building nests. They do this for two weeks.

How do flamingos build nests?

The process of building nests is unique and labor-intensive. To reproduce, flamingos build cone-shaped structures from silt and clay in shallow water, resembling small mounds about 60 cm high. Both the female and the male are involved in the construction. They do not lay many eggs; most often there are 2-3 eggs in a clutch. Parents take turns incubating the chicks for thirty days. The chicks hatch completely independent and active. Within a few days they become full members of the colony.

Parents feed the chick with special bird milk, which is formed in the upper part of the esophagus. This milk is also pink in color. It is produced not only by females, but also by males. The hatched chicks are covered with white down, which turns gray over time. First, the cubs end up in a kind of kindergarten, which even has teachers. Parents are busy searching for food at this time. Such nurseries can house up to 200 cubs. Parents recognize their babies by their voice. The cubs begin to feed on their own after two months, when the beak grows. At three months, young flamingos are already similar in appearance to adult birds.

Flamingo species

Five species are currently known. Red flamingos live on islands in the Caribbean and the Galapagos. The color of their plumage can range from purple to bright red.

Dwarf or small flamingos live off the coast of the Persian Gulf, as well as in areas near the salt lakes of Kenya and Tanzania. Their body length reaches only 80 cm. High in the Andes there are salt lakes where Andean flamingos live. Their plumage is white and pink, less often scarlet. The very rare James's flamingo lives in Bolivia and northern Argentina. They feed on diatoms. In South America you can see Chilean flamingos. The wings of these birds have a red tint.

The dangerous life of flamingos in the wild

The natural threat of flamingos is predators: foxes, jackals, wolves. Birds of prey, such as eagles, also pose a certain danger to colonies. Sensing danger, the flamingos fly away. To take off, they need a takeoff run, which they can do both in water and on land. Since flamingos live in groups, it is difficult for predators to choose one specific prey, and their colorful wings make it difficult for them to focus. In the wild, birds live up to 30 years, in captivity - up to 40.

• The ancestors of flamingos lived on the planet 30 million years ago.
• The plumage of birds can be not only pink, but also red and even crimson.
• To take off, they run 5-6 meters through the water.
• In flight, they take the shape of a cross, extending their legs and neck.
• Future parents sit on the nest with their legs tucked in and stand up from it, resting their beaks on the ground.

Protection of different species of flamingos

Due to poaching and human activities, the world's flamingo populations have decreased significantly. In the International Red Book they currently have the status of “Least Concern”. Some species were considered extinct for a long time. So, James's flamingos were found only in 1957. Many countries around the world have listed flamingos in their Red Books.

The common flamingo, or as it is also called, the pink flamingo, is a bird from the order Flamingidae. 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 a detailed description and photo of the 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 flamingo's unusual coloring has never gone unnoticed. Adult males and females of the common flamingo have soft pink plumage. The wings of the flamingo bird are purple-red, with black flight feathers. The slender legs of flamingos have a pinkish tint. The beak is also pink but has a black tip.

The flamingo looks unusual not only due to the unique coloring of its plumage. The flamingo bird holds its long neck in the shape of a question mark with enviable grace. Flamingos can also easily stand on one leg. 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 reality it requires absolutely no effort from the flamingo.

The flamingo bird has a massive beak curved downwards. In flamingos, the movable part of the beak is the upper part, 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 - the frenulum and a small ring around the eyes, which are red. The pink flamingo has a round body and a very short tail.

The flamingo looks like a fairly large bird. The total body length is 120-130 cm. The weight of adult individuals reaches 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 flamingo plumage is given by the substance carotene, which birds receive along with food. Flamingos owe their pink color to small red crustaceans that contain the same carotene.

In zoos, flamingos do not lose their unique coloring, since foods with carotene are added to their diet: carrots and bell peppers, and, of course, small crustaceans. Due to this, 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 southwest Asia. In Europe, flamingo colonies live in the south of 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. Flamingos live in the lakes of Southern Afghanistan, North-West India and Sri Lanka. The pink flamingo also lives in several lakes in Kazakhstan.

The pink flamingo does not nest in Russia, but regularly migrates across 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, and the Urals. Pink flamingos flying through Russia winter in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran.

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

Mostly flamingos live sedentary lives. These birds can wander within their habitat in order to find a place with more favorable living conditions or if there is a lack of food in the previous place. Only northern populations of pink flamingos migrate for nesting.

Flamingos live in different conditions and are able to tolerate sudden temperature fluctuations. Pink flamingos have good endurance and can cope even with extreme weather conditions, which not every animal can survive. They are found near very salty or alkaline lakes. This is due to large populations of crustaceans in salty waters, where fish do not live due to increased salinity. The pink flamingo also lives on high mountain lakes.

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

Poaching and intensive economic activity have led to a worldwide decline in their population. So far, this species has the status of “least concern” in the International Red Book.

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. The flamingo bird is helped in obtaining food by its beak, with the help of 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 plate-like combs. Flamingos feed in shallow water with muddy bottoms in hard-to-reach places.

When looking for food, the common flamingo turns its head so that the upper beak is at the bottom. The 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 beak and swallows the food. All stages of flamingo nutrition occur very quickly.

Natural enemies of the pink flamingo are predators such as fox, wolf, jackal and other predators. Large feathered predators that often settle near flamingo colonies also pose a threat. In case of danger, flamingos take off. When taking off, they make a short 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 prey.

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

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

A couple of months before nesting begins, pairless pink flamingos stage group mating displays in the form of synchronized 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 their choice of 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 produce strong offspring.

Established flamingo couples most often do not take part in demonstrations. Migrating flamingos perform their mating dances while resting on the way to their nesting sites. The pairs formed along the way, having arrived, are immediately ready for nesting. In two weeks they build a nest.

The construction of flamingo nests is unique and consists of a cone-shaped hill 60 cm high in shallow water made of clay and silt. The male and female build the nest together. There are 1-3 large white eggs in the clutch, but most often there is 1 egg. Both parents participate in incubating the nest. The flamingo chick is born after 30 days. The baby flamingo hatches well developed, active and leaves the nest within 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. It is surprising that not only females, but also males give milk. A newly hatched flamingo chick is first covered with white down, later changing it to gray. The legs of a baby flamingo are short and thick, and the beak is red.

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

The baby flamingo feeds on milk for two months until its beak grows so that it can feed itself. By three months of age, baby flamingos have grown to adult size and can fly. During this period, flamingo chicks acquire white-gray plumage, with a faint pink tint.

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

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