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Greater Flamingo

From Opus

Photo by christ34Photo taken: Camargue, France.
Photo by christ34
Photo taken: Camargue, France.
Phoenicopterus roseus

Contents

[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 swarovskiuserLesvos, Greece, May 2008
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)


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[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

[edit] External Links


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