- Phoenicopterus jamesi
Also called James's Flamingo. Photo taken: Peru
Identification
The James's Flamingo (Phoenicopterus jamesi), also known as the Puna Flamingo, is a South American flamingo, named for Harry Berkeley James. It is a small and delicate flamingo, approximately 3 feet in height. Its plumage is pale pink, with bright carmine streaks around the neck and on the back. When perched a small amount of black can be seen in the wings. There is bright red skin around the eye. The legs are brick-red and the bill is bright yellow with a black tip. Immature birds are greyish.
James's Flamingo is similar to other South American flamingoes, but the Chilean Flamingo is pinker, with a paler and longer bill, and the Andean Flamingo is larger with more black in the wings and bill, and yellow legs.
Distribution
It breeds on the high Andean plateaux of Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.
Taxonomy
It is related to the Chilean Flamingo and the Andean Flamingo.
Habitat
Plateaux
Behaviour
As all members of this family, they nests in colonies, in solitary places, in the low parts of lakes and lagoons or near of these, building a nest with mud and cone-shape, without top, like a cup, and putting only one white egg. The sucklings learn to swim quickly.
