American Flamingo

Brilliant pink, red, or orange plumage derived from carotenoid pigments in their diet of algae and crustaceans. Juveniles are grayish-brown and take up to several years to attain adult coloration.

Vivid pink-to-red body plumage, long pink legs with webbed toes, curved pink and black bill, and distinctive deep S-curved neck.

Length: 120-140 cm, Wingspan: 140-165 cm, Weight: 2.1-2.8 kg

Loud, nasal honking, cackling, and goose-like grunts, especially vocal within large colonies.

Primarily brine shrimp, blue-green algae, diatoms, and small aquatic invertebrates, filtered through specialized lamellae in the bill.

Large alkaline or saline lakes, shallow coastal lagoons, estuaries, and mudflats.

Mainly resident or nomadic, with movements driven primarily by changes in water levels and food availability.

Builds truncated mud mounds in shallow water or on mudflats. Lays a single chalky white egg, incubated by both parents in highly social colony settings.

Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), which is generally paler pink and slightly larger with a more restricted range overlapping in parts of the Caribbean/Atlantic.

Acts as an umbrella species in wetland ecosystems, and their feeding and nesting activities help structure shallow water habitats and nutrient cycles.

Least Concern, with generally stable population trends, though vulnerable to localized habitat degradation.

Look for them in shallow lagoons, salt pans, and mudflats using spotting scopes. Approach quietly to avoid startling them, as they are sensitive to disturbance.

Their iconic pink coloration comes directly from the carotenoid pigments found in the microscopic algae and crustaceans they eat. They are also famous for resting standing on one leg to conserve body heat.