Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus roseus
Class
Aves
Order
Ciconiiformes
Family
Phoenicopteridae
Greater Flamingo
Range
Africa, southwest Europe, the Middle East, southwest Asia, India, and Sri Lanka
Size
Length: Up to 5 ft
Wingspan: 4 - 6 ft
Weight: Up to 9 lbs
Habitat
Near shallow water, either fresh or salty lakes or coastal lagooons and river estuaries
Young
Cluch of 1 egg
Incubation: About 30 days
Diet
Shrimp, copepods, worms, small mollusks, and insect larvae
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Social Birds
Flamingos are extremely gregarious and social birds with some flocks containing 250,000 birds.
Upside-Down Dinners
They get their pink coloration from the foods they eat. Holding its head upside-down in the water, the flamingo swings its head side to side. It pumps water through the strainer-like edges of its unique beak to trap microscopic algae and small animals.
Status
The greater flamingo is the largest and most widespread of all flamingo species.