Chilean flamingo

Phoenicopterus chilensis

Irish Name: Lasairéan Sileach
IUCN Status: Near Threatened

Chilean flamingos are one of six species of flamingos, a bird famous for their pink feathers, long stilt-like legs and hooked downward-bent bills. Dublin Zoo is home to a large flock of about 100 Chilean flamingos.

Chilean flamingo

Phoenicopterus chilensis

Irish Name: Lasairéan Sileach
IUCN Status: Near Threatened

Chilean flamingos are one of six species of flamingos, a bird famous for their pink feathers, long stilt-like legs and hooked downward-bent bills. Dublin Zoo is home to a large flock of about 100 Chilean flamingos.

General Information

Where do they live? (Natural habitat)

Chilean flamingos are found in a number of South American countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Peru. They live on coastal mudflats, estuaries, salt lakes and lagoons.

How long do they live?

Up to 50 years in the wild.

What do they eat?

Chilean flamingos eat algae and plankton that they filter from the water using a comb-like structure in their beaks. Their food contains a pigment called beta-carotene (the same pigment that gives carrots their orange colour) It is this pigment that gives them their pink colour.

Closest related species/sister species

The closest relatives of the Chilean flamingo are the Greater flamingo and the American flamingo. There are six flamingo species in total.

Group Name

Flamboyance, colony, flock

Zoo Location

Flamingo Lagoon

Animal Class

Aves

Animal Order

Phoenicopteriformes

Fun Facts

Backwards Knee

The joint on their legs which looks like a backwards-bending knee is actually their ankle. Their knee is higher up their leg closer to their body and is hidden by their feathers.

Changing Colours

Flamingo chicks are born grey. They become pink in colour from a substance in the "crop milk" produced by both parents and fed to them. So while the chicks are turning pink, their parents' colour is fading. As they get older they get their pink colour from a pigment in the food they eat.

Standing on one leg

Flamingos are famous for their one-legged standing posture, and they can even sleep standing on one leg. There have been many theories about why or how they can do this. Scientists have now found that they can do this because they have a locking system in their joints that allows them to become more stable by standing on one leg rather than two.

Eating Habits

Flamingos eat by sweeping their heads from side to side close to the water’s surface. Their beak is turned upside down in the water and their tongue acts like a pump to suck in the water. They have a comb-like structure in their beak that filters organisms from their water and then their tongue expels the water, leaving the food behind.

Communication

Chilean flamingos communicate with each other by honking or grunting.

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Family Life

Flamingos are very social; they live in flocks of up to several thousand birds in the wild. Once the female lays an egg, both the male and female incubate it. After the chick hatches, it remains in the nest for the first few days before moving to large ‘crèches’ made up of thousands of chicks. After approximately 70 days, it can begin to feed by itself.

Baby Name

Chick

Gestation (pregnancy) period

30 days incubation

Number of young at birth

1

Weight at birth

70-90 g

Age at maturity

5-6 years

Size adult

Up to 145 cm tall and 3.5 kg in weight

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Conservation

Near Threatened

Chilean flamingos are classified as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Current population estimate

In 2011, there was estimated to be around 300,000 remaining in the wild. The population is decreasing so this is now likely to be less.

Threats

One of the main threats to Chilean flamingos is egg-harvesting (eggs getting stolen). Other threats include hunting, habitat loss and water pollution.

What is Dublin Zoo doing?

Dublin Zoo is part of the European Breeding Programme for Chilean flamingos.

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Flamingo chicks born at Dublin Zoo

https://www.facebook.com/DublinZoo/videos/563149780876146/

FAQ's

  • Why are flamingos pink?

    Flamingos get their pink colour from the tiny crustaceans and algae they eat, which contains a pigment called beta-carotene (the same pigment that gives carrots their orange colour).

  • Can flamingos fly?

    Yes, flamingos can fly.

  • What do flamingos eat?

    Chilean flamingos eat algae and plankton that they filter from the water using a comb-like structure in their beaks. Their food contains a pigment called beta-carotene (the same pigment that gives carrots their orange colour) It is this pigment that gives them their pink colour.

  • Where do Chilean flamingos live?

    They live in mudflats, estuaries, salt lakes and lagoons in a number of South American countries including Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile.

  • Why do flamingos stand on one leg?

    Scientists now believe that flamingos are more stable for long periods of time on one leg than they are on two. This is because they have a locking mechanism in their joints that keeps them balanced, meaning it doesn’t require any muscular effort to stay in one place. It is a way for them to conserve energy by avoiding their muscles getting tired.

  • Are flamingo egg yolks pink?

    No, flamingo egg yolks are not pink.

  • What sound does a Chilean flamingo make?

    Chilean flamingos communicate with each other by honking or grunting.

  • How tall are Chilean flamingos?

    Up to 145 cm

  • Are Chilean flamingos endangered?

    The IUCN currently classifies Chilean flamingos as Near Threatened which means they are not currently endangered, but may be in the near future.

  • How long do Chilean flamingos live?

    Flamingos live up to 50 years in the wild.

  • Can Chilean flamingos swim?

    Yes, flamingos can swim, however it is rare for them to do so.

  • How do flamingos sleep?

    Flamingos sleep standing on one leg.

  • Are all flamingos pink?

    All flamingos get their pink colour from a pigment in their food so they are generally pink in colour. However, their colouring could change if they didn’t eat their natural foods.

  • Is a flamingo a mammal?

    Flamingos are birds, not mammals.

  • Do flamingos migrate?

    Flamingos are non-migratory birds, but may relocate if the climate or the water levels in their breeding area change.

    In winter, Chilean flamingos migrate to lower ground where it is warmer.

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