We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Behavior

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Why Do Flamingos Become Less Pink as Parents?

Updated: May 21, 2024
Views: 2,163
References
Share

Flamingos are among the world's most beautiful and unique-looking birds. Their bright pink, orange, and reddish colors, which come from the carotenoid pigments in the algae and small crustaceans they eat, are a stunning sight. But if you ever spot a flamingo looking unusually pale or washed out, there's a good chance they have recently become a parent.

Parenthood can be exhausting and draining for all animals, but for flamingos, the effort of raising a chick takes a visible toll. Flamingos lay just one egg each year. Baby flamingos are born with gray feathers and are around the size of a tennis ball. In their first few weeks of life, they are exclusively fed a reddish secretion known as "crop milk," rich in proteins and fats, which comes from their parents' upper digestive tract. Flamingos, along with pigeons, doves, and male emperor penguins, are among the only birds that feed their young this way. As the parents (both male and female) feed their baby the crop milk, they start to lose their own color, often turning pale or even white. This is because the regurgitated secretion, which comes from a muscular pouch in the throat called the "crop," contains so much carotenoid pigment that it drains the color from the adult flamingo.

At birth, the beak of a baby flamingo is small and straight. After a few months, it will grow into the distinctive curved bill flamingos are known for. A young flamingo's bill allows it to eat independently and eventually achieve beautiful pinkish plumage from its diet. And as the chick gains the ability to feed itself, its parents will eventually regain their own stunning colors.

why do flamingos become less pink as parents

More stunning facts about flamingos:

  • There are six flamingo species, including the greater flamingo, Chilean flamingo, Caribbean flamingo, lesser flamingo, Andean flamingo, and James’s flamingo. Flamingos are very social birds that live in groups of varying sizes, sometimes in the tens of thousands.
  • Flamingos use vocalizations such as nasal honking, low gabbling, and growling to communicate with one another and alert the group of impending danger.
  • A flamingo holds its bill upside down in the water while eating. It feeds by sucking mud and water through the front of its bill and pumping it out at the sides. Briny plates called lamellae serve as tiny filters to trap shrimp and other small creatures for the flamingo to eat.
Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Discussion Comments
Share
https://direct.wisegeek.com/why-do-flamingos-become-less-pink-as-parents.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.