They are known as Phoenicopterus and are birds found in the western and eastern hemispheres. There are only six species of them, which can be found in hot areas of the Caribbean, South America, Africa, part of the Middle East and in some places in Europe. They have holorrine demognate skull, have 16 to 20 cervical vertebrae and anisodactilos feet. These birds are beautiful and slender, measuring between 80 cm and 1.40 cm long. A special feature are the neck and long legs.
They are known as Phoenicopterus and are birds found in the western and eastern hemispheres. There are only six species of them, which can be found in hot areas of the Caribbean, South America, Africa, part of the Middle East and in some places in Europe. They have holorrine demognate skull, have 16 to 20 cervical vertebrae and anisodactilos feet. These birds are beautiful and slender, measuring between 80 cm and 1.40 cm long. A special feature are the neck and long legs.
They are a very sociable species, forming colonies ranging from a few dozen to thousands during the breeding season. Their courtship flight is characteristic with thousands of flamingos raising their wings, turning heads and bending their necks in spectacular synchrony. This wonderful display ensures that all members of the colony are ready to mate at the same time. (You may be interested in: Dangerous Animals in Australia)
Pairs of flamingoes are involved in the construction of the nests, stacking small portions of mud in the form of a soft cone. They lay a single egg that is incubated by both parents for 27 to 31 days. About six to eight days after hatching the chicks leave the nest and are grouped in large nurseries guarded by adults for 9 to 13 weeks. These chicks feed their baby with milk. When these hatchings are born they are white, but when they become adults they take their characteristic pink color. But why do they have this color? .
Characteristic color is due to their diet, as we had already named it, these wonderful animals eat shrimp, plankton, algae and crustaceans. This diet causes a large amount of a chemical compound called cantaxanthin to exist in your body.
Cantaxanthin is a carotenoid pigment present in various elements of nature such as carrots or papaya. This substance is broken down in the liver of the flamingo and dispersed to the feathers, legs and beak of this spectacular animal.
This is why flamingos in zoos tend to lose the pink color of their body from their feeding. Because of this, several zoos took it as a measure to add this chemical in water and food so that they do not lose their characteristic color. If you have seen any flamingo tell us your experience.
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Gabriel Ricardo Morales Fallon