5 Fun facts about flamingos you never knew

Our earth is a diverse planet where you can witness a varied range of plants and animal species. Indeed, our planet is blessed with such diversification, making it a beautiful habitat.

There are plenty of birds across the globe that might have caught your attention with their beauty, and flamingos are one among them. Something about their pink body, long thin necks, and legs that makes them special. Even if you haven’t seen a real flamingo, you must be familiar with these beguiling birds. 

Flamingos are generally spotted near the bank of rivers and better known for their long backward bending knees. These birds are pink in color and have curvy necks that are highly noticeable. In a nutshell, flamingos are interesting characters that intrigue everyone. 

There are plenty of things that you might don’t know about these fascinating birds. If you want to know some fun facts about flamingos, you have come to the right place. 

In this blog, we have aligned some fun and quirky facts about flamingos that will make you want to know more about these birds. So, without any chit chat, let’s get started. 

#1 Six Different Species

Flamingos are not just a single species, but six different species are not quite easy to detect. Only experts can detect these different species of flamingos. All the species are found in different regions, making them region specific. While there are six flamingo species, there were usually ten identical species in total that went extinct. Their species went on decreasing with time, and currently, there are only six species left. Here are those six species:

• American flamingo 
• Chilean flamingo 
• Greater flamingo 
• Lesser flamingo 
• Puna flamingo 

#2 Males Are Taller

When you see flamingos in a flock, you will find them at similar heights. However, it is said that male flamingos are taller than females. They are four to five feet tall, making them the tallest among the females. It is also a trait to differentiate between male and female. They weigh around four to eight pounds; it is a bizarre body density required for flying. However, it is a lesser-known fact that people know about flamingos. 

#3 Lagoons Is Their Habitats

Flamingos are intelligent when it comes to hunting. They usually assemble in lagoons or mudflats in search of shallow saltwater prey. These places are easy to habitat, and it becomes difficult for predators to negotiate here. It is the best place for flamingos to hunt and get their food. These places not only get them easy prey but safeguard them from possible predators. So, if you want to spot flamingos, you can look out for lagoons and mudflats. Flamingos have done pretty smart work in choosing their den. Flamingos like to hunt live prey and don’t feed on dead prey. 

#4 American Flamingos Are Not In America

As strange it may sound, but American flamingos are not found in the United States now. While Phoenicopterus ruber are native to North America, they are rarely spotted in the United States. These are brightly colored flamingos that are generally found in Asia, Southern Europe, and Africa. The Greater flamingos are the ones that are found in large numbers, and the Lesser flamingos are found less, hence the name. So, if you want to spot some American flamingos, don’t look for them in America. However, you can find American flamingos in an American zoo. 

#5 Flamingos Are What They Eat

We have often heard the saying that we are what we eat. This saying fits exactly to flamingos, as the pink color they have come from the beta-carotene found in plankton and crustaceans. Yes, flamingos eat these planktons and crustaceans that have high beta-carotene concentration that turn their body color pinkish. That’s the reason zoo flamingos can turn white sometimes if they are not fed the right diet. Their diet must be supplemented with flamingo chow or live shrimp that comprises carotenoid pigments. So, next time you spot a white flamingo in a zoo, they are not rare, they are just not fed the right nutrition. 

The Bottom Line

There are plenty of birds on planet earth that are unique and fascinating. Each species has something special in them that becomes a distinctive character. Flamingos are one of those charming birds that have distinctive physical traits. 

Apart from their unique appearances, there are plenty of other things as well that make flamingos different from other birds. 

When you research deep about some birds, you will get to learn a lot about them. The above mentioned were some of the interesting facts about flamingos hat you might have never heard about, 

Indeed, flamingos are interesting creatures that can intrigue you. Keep exploring more birds to learn some unknown fun facts about them.