Flamingos – not just beauty in pink

Who among us hasn’t encountered a flamingo while on vacation? Especially large and inflatable. A visit to the zoo also counts – although there the flamingos may not look as colorful as in the wild. In their natural habitat, they attract attention with their extraordinary beauty. Known for their long legs, curved beaks and stunning feather color, they are survival strategists and social enthusiasts. Are they threatened by anything in the changing environment?

From their unique feeding behaviors to their complex mating dances to their migratory abilities, the life of flamingos is full of surprises and fascinating facts. In this article, we will take a closer look at these remarkable birds, uncovering the mysteries of their daily lives, adaptations and social structures. We will also learn why their feathers are pink, their survival strategies in different environments, and how social behavior affects their life in the colonies. We will also answer the question: what does the survival of flamingos depend on?

The mystery of the pink feathers

One of the most recognizable features of flamingos is their intense pink or red plumage. The color is not accidental and is due to a diet rich in carotenoids, which flamingos take in by eating algae, shellfish and plankton. Without these pigments, they would be white or gray. In controlled environments, such as zoos, they often need nutritional supplements to maintain their distinctive feather color. Interestingly, the more intensely colored birds tend to be more aggressive and dominant in their colonies. This unique color adaptation is not only beautiful, but also plays a role in the social hierarchy.

Complex eating behaviors

Flamingos have a unique way of acquiring food. They dip their heads tip down into the water and use their curved beaks to filter food. Special plates help retain the food while releasing the water. This technique allows them to effectively catch small organisms, such as plankton and crustaceans, which are the staple of their diet. This requires not only a special beak structure, but also precise movements, which flamingos master at a young age.

Social life of flamingos

Flamingos are highly social birds. They live in large colonies, which can number thousands of individuals. This social structure provides them with many advantages, including better protection from predators and greater opportunities to reproduce. During the breeding season, they perform synchronized mating dances that include cleaning and stretching their feathers, marching, waving their heads and stroking each other. They build their nests, which look like miniature volcanoes, from mud, straw, small stones and feathers.

These mounds can reach heights of up to 30 cm, and each mound contains only 1 egg. As a rule, flamingos are monogamous and work together to build the nest and care for the chick together. The reproductive success of a colony relies on synchronous nesting, that is, nestlings hatching at about the same time. Flamingos can breed when they reach 6 years of age.

Hiking and Survival

Migration is understood as the regular, seasonal movement of animals to find better living conditions, such as depending on the seasons. Flamingos, which are often mistakenly classified as migratory birds, make movements that do not necessarily fit this strict scientific definition. Analyzing the available data on their movements, it is suggested that they should be treated more as nomadic species. This does not change the fact that they are adapted for long flights.

Capable of rising to a height of 4.5 kilometers, they can travel up to 600 kilometers in a single flight, at a speed of 50-60 km/h. These impressive capabilities allow them to survive in changing environmental conditions. It is worth mentioning that flamingos can live 20 to 30 years in the wild, and up to 50 in zoos. The oldest recorded flamingo lived as long as 83 years.

Are all flamingos the same?

Most sources distinguish 6 species of flamingos, which are found in different, warmer regions of the globe. Some of them, including the James flamingo and the Chilean flamingo, live in South and Central America. The greater and lesser flamingos, on the other hand, have a wider distribution range, covering areas in Africa and Asia. These species adapt to a variety of aquatic habitats, from lagoons to salt lakes, allowing them to exploit different food sources and breeding grounds.

The lesser flamingo is estimated to be the most numerous of the species, with a population of 2 to 3 million birds. It is present in 30 countries, occurring regularly from West Africa through the sub-Saharan part of the continent to the southwest coast of Asia and further south. The main part of the global population of this bird is concentrated in 12 countries. Due to its diet, based on microscopic organisms – cyanobacteria – the lesser flamingo depends on specific habitats such as shallow, alkaline lakes, reservoirs, wetlands and coastal areas.

Most numerous vs. endangered

More than ¾ of the lesser flamingo population inhabits East Africa’s soda lakes. Meanwhile, these lakes, which are among the most productive aquatic ecosystems in the world, are highly vulnerable to climate change and catchment degradation. As the results of recent studieshave shown, the biggest threat to flamingo populations is the reduction in the availability of their food as a result of the decline in phytoplankton biomass. The reduction in phytoplankton biomass is a result of the increase in lake levels that occurred between 1999 and 2022.

This has caused a decline in the productivity of soda lakes, especially in equatorial Kenya and northern Tanzania, which in turn threatens the survival of the lesser flamingo. In light of the changing climate and projections of increased precipitation in the region, the study underscores the growing vulnerability of flamingos and the need for more effective monitoring and management of lakes and their catchments to protect these valuable ecosystems.

Photo. main: Shane Francis/Unsplash