Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus ruber roseus

CLASS: Aves
ORDER: Ciconiiformes
FAMILY: Phoenicopteridae

SIZE:
4 - 4.5 feet tall

RANGE:
Southern Europe to southern Asia, south throughout Africa

HABITAT:
Brackish water, alkaline and saline lakes, and lagoons

DIET:
Wild - Aquatic insects, microscopic crustaceans and algae, marsh grass seeds
Zoo - Flamigo diet mixed with water and a fine red powder

DESCRIPTION:
One of the paler flamingos, the white body, head and neck tinged with pink. The wings are crimson with black primary and secondary feathers. Their legs are pink with slightly darker joints and feet. The bill tip has the black not extending to the bend; rest of bill pink right to the pink skin around the yellow eye.

FACTS:

• The deep bend of the bill serves to filter water for food.
• Have long legs and webbed feet for wading
• Live in large flocks

YOUNG:
Eggs are laid in a cone-shaped nest. The young are pale gray and are fed a liquid food ("milk") secreted from the parent's crop.

STATUS:
CITES II, not globally threatened.

REFERENCE:
Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol. 1, Ed. Joesp del Hoyo, Andrew Elliot and Jordi Sargatal