What is a Flamingo?

What is a Flamingo?

A flamingo is a member of the bird family. It is larger than many North American birds, which are typically only around 6 inches long. Flamingos are more similar to storks than these smaller birds. They live around the world, can fly up to 100 miles in one stretch, and live together in colonies. The birds are well-recognized worldwide, for their distinctly skinny and tall legs, their bright pink color and their long necks.
Location of Flamingos:
Flamingos are present all over the world. They are most commonly found in Africa, Europe, Asia, South America, Latin America, the Caribbean and North American. The birds live together in large colonies.
Flamingos breeding:
Flamingos reach sexual maturity at the age of around six or seven years. The birds pair up with each other when they decide to mate, which takes place at any time of year, and not during a specific season, as is the case with some other animal species. The pair stays together after the mating has taken place, as their bond is very strong (however, the birds are known to mate with more than one partner over the course of a lifetime). While together, the male and female flamingo build a nest around their egg. After the egg is laid, the flamingos take turns incubating the egg, or keeping it at the proper temperature for the development of the baby.
Flamingos color:
The color of flamingos typically ranges from white, to light pink to dark pink. The color of the bird’s feathers depends on how much algae, diatoms and crustaceans that the birds eat, as these foods contain beta carotene, which has the ability to change the color of their feather coats.
Life expectancy of Flamingos:
Flamingos in the while typically live between 20 and 30 years. Their life spans primarily depend on their natural habitat, climate conditions and the presence of predators. In extreme instances, the bird has been known to live up to 50 years.
Predators of the Flamingo:
Flamingos are often preyed upon when they are small chicks. Animals also have been known to steal flamingo eggs before they hatch. Cheetahs, lions, hyenas, leopards and jaguars hunt the birds that are native to Africa.