• Flamingoes are a type of wading bird. Its name “Flamingo’ comes from Portuguese or Spanish word ‘flamingo’ which means with the colour of flame.

• It occurs in Sub-Saharan Africa with another population in India. Its population probably numbers up to 2 Million birds.

• When at rest they stand on one leg with long neck coiled around and head tucked away under the feathers of the back.

• The species feeds primarily on spirullina, algae which grow only in very alkaline lakes.

• The presence of flamingo herds near water body is an indication of alkaline water which is not suitable for irrigation use.

• Although blue-green in colour the algae contain photosynthetic pigment that gives the bird their pink colour.

• Their deep beak is specilised for filtering tiny food particles.

• The lesser flamingo is classified as near threatened species due to its declining population and lower number of breeding sites and also by human activities.