The Habitat of Pink Flamingos
Flamingos are birds known for their pink feathers, long legs and hooked bills. The pink or reddish color of their feathers can be attributed to their diet, which is rich in carotenoid pigments from the algae and crustaceans they eat. There are several species of flamingos living in Asia, Europe, Africa, South America and North America.
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Geographic Locations
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Flamingos are grouped into six different species. The greater flamingo is located in Africa, southern Europe and southwestern Asia. Caribbean flamingos, which are the brightest in color, are typically found in the Caribbean, northern South America, Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and Galapagos Islands. Chilean flamingos can be found in Southwestern South American. Both the Andean flamingo and James’s flamingo are found in Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.
Habitat
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Flamingos are located in tropical and subtropical areas. They like an abundance of mud and water and are at home in large, shallow lagoons or alkaline or saline lakes. They enjoy a variety of habitats including tidal flats, sandy islands in the intertidal zone and mangrove swamps. The depth of water is important for both feeding and nesting. The presence or absence of fish could determine whether or not a flamingo uses a lake.
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Social Birds
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Flamingos enjoy living in groups, ranging in size from a few birds to tens of thousands. These groups are known as colonies and flamingos will live within these colonies throughout the year. The birds will form pairs when they are ready to breed and will engage in courtship displays like head turning and marching.
Nesting
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As mentioned above, the depth of water plays an important role in nesting. A flamingo nest is essentially a mound of mud, which is built by both the female and male drawing mud toward their feet using their hooked bills. The nest must be high enough to keep the egg safe from flooding. Flamingos will typically lay one large egg and both parents will take turns incubating the egg.
Migration
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Flamingos are typically non-migratory birds, but changes in the climate and water levels could prompt them to search for a more favorable area. Flamingos that breed in high-altitude lakes, which could freeze during the winter, may opt for warmer weather or drought conditions could force some to relocate. When they do migrate, they tend to travel at night.
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References
- Photo Credit flamingo image by leiana from Fotolia.com
