Flamingos
(genus Phoenicopterus monotypic in family Phoenicopteridae)
are gregarious wading birds, usually 3–5 feet in
height, found in both the western and eastern hemispheres.
They are more numerous in the latter, but there are four
species in the Americas against two in the Old World.
Flamingos live in large flocks in aquatic areas. The larger
species breed and feed in saline or brackish habitats.
Nests are made of compacted mud and are in the form of
a mound with a concave top, into which the single white
egg is laid. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae.
Their diet is what contributes to their pink appearance.
Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate
mud and silt from the food they consume, and are uniquely
used upside-down. The filtering of food items is assisted
by hairy structures called lamellae which line the mandibles,
and the large rough-surfaced tongue. |
