From Opus

Photo by christ34
Photo taken: Camargue, France.

Phoenicopterus roseus

[edit] Identification

Length 120-145cm
Wing span 140-170cm
Adult

• White, tinged pink
• Red wing coverts
• Black flight feathers
• Decurved bill with black tip, red-orange in middle and pale yellow near eye in nominate, dark pink in roseus
• Legs pink and extremely long
  

Juvenile
Grey-brown with whitish underparts

[edit] Similar Species

Chilean Flamingo has grey legs with pink knees. Lesser Flamingo is smaller, has a dark bill and a dark red eye.

[edit] Distribution

Photo by swarovskiuser
Lesvos, Greece, May 2008

Locally in southern Europe and Mediterranean basin to South Africa and Indian subcontinent.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.
Was formerly considered conspecific with American Flamingo.

[edit] Habitat

Salt pans and large bodies of shallow water, inland and coastal; saline and brackish waters preferred.

[edit] Behaviour

Highly gregarious

[edit] Breeding

Breed in large colonies in nests that consists of mud compacted into a mound on top of which the nest of mud and twigs is situated, this is built by both sexes. 1 white egg is laid, and incubated by both parents for 27-31 days.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes small crustaceans, molluscs, and insects.

[edit] Vocalisation

Loud cackles (reminiscent of Greylag Goose)

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
3. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6

• List of references

[edit] External Links