Greater Flamingo

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Phoenicopteriformes

Family: Phoenicopteridae

Genus: Phoenicopterus

Species: Phoenicopterus roseus

Descendant: flamingos

Named by: Peter Simon Pallas

Year Published: 1811

Size: 110–150 cm (43–59 in) tall and weighing 2–4 kg (4.4–8.8 lb); wingspan ranges from 140 to 170 centimeters (55 to 67 inches)

Lifespan: 

• Wild: 30–40 years

• Captivity: 30–60 years

Activity: Cathemeral 🌅🌃

Thermoregulate: Endotherm

Type: 

• Reptiles (Archosaurs)

• Birds (Flamingos)

Title(s): 

• Big Red Bird

Other Name(s)/Alias(es): 

• none

Pantheon: 

• Terran/Gaian 🇺🇳

Time Period: Holocene

Alignment: Shy

Threat Level: ★★

Diet: Filter Feeder 🦠

Elements: Water 🌊, Rock 🪨, Air 🌬️

Inflicts: Waterblight 🌊, Rockblight 🪨, Sundered 💔, Stench 💩, Mudded 🟤, Fatigue 😫

Weaknesses: Fire 🔥, Water 🌊, Rock 🪨, Air 🌬️, Electric ⚡, Leaf 🌿, Ice ❄️, Metal 🔩, Dark 🌑, Light 🔆

Casualties: 

• none

Based On: 

• itself

Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC) – IUCN Red List 

The name flamingo comes from Portuguese or Spanish flamengo 'flame-colored'; in turn, the word comes from Provençal flamenc – a combination of flama 'flame' and a Germanic-like suffix -ing. The word may also have been influenced by the Spanish ethnonym flamenco 'Fleming' or 'Flemish'. The name of the genus, Phoenicopterus, is from Ancient Greek φοινικόπτερος (phoinikopteros) 'crimson/red-feathered'; other genera names include Phoeniconaias, which means 'crimson/red water nymph (or naiad)', and Phoenicoparrus, which means 'crimson/red bird (though, an unknown bird of omen)'.

With an average height of 110 to 150 cm (43 to 59 in) and a weight of 2 to 4 kg (4.4 to 8.8 lb), the larger flamingo is the largest species of flamingo currently in existence. According to records, the largest male flamingos can grow up to 187 cm (74 in) in height and weigh 4.5 kg (9.9 lb). The main and secondary flight feathers are black, while the wing coverts are red, while the majority of the plumage is pinkish-white. The legs are all pink, and the bill is pink with a narrow black tip. It's a goose-like honking call.

Chicks are covered in gray fluffy down. Subadult flamingos are paler with dark legs. Adults feeding chicks also become paler, but retain the bright pink legs. The coloration comes from the carotenoid pigments in the organisms that live in their feeding grounds. Secretions of the uropygial gland also contain carotenoids. During the breeding season, greater flamingos increase the frequency of their spreading uropygial secretions over their feathers and thereby enhance their color. This cosmetic use of uropygial secretions has been described as applying "make-up".

The typical lifespan in captivity, according to Basel Zoo, is over 60 years. In the wild, the average lifespan is 30–40 years.

In any given location, greater flamingos are probably the only tall, pink bird. Additionally, they have black-tipped bills with a characteristic downward bend and long, lean, curving necks. They can eat minute things like plankton, tiny fish, fly larvae, and the like because to their bent bills. Shrimplike crustaceans are responsible for the flamingo's pink color. The birds pale in captivity unless their diet is supplemented.

In zoos, flamingos usually have their flight feathers clipped, which prevents them from flying (more on that below). This raises doubts over whether flamingos can actually fly. There are six species of flamingos in the world, and they are all wild birds that fly.

Coming soon

The greater flamingo resides in mudflats and shallow coastal lagoons with salt water. Using its feet, the bird stirs up the mud, then sucks water through its bill and filters out small shrimp, brine shrimp, other crustaceans, seeds (such as rice), blue-green algae, microscopic organisms (such as diatoms), insect larvae (such as chironomids), and mollusks. The greater flamingo feeds with its head down, its upper jaw movable and not rigidly fixed to its skull. Like all flamingos, this species lays a single chalky-white egg on a mud mound.

Since flamingos frequently reside in big flocks and are known to be gregarious and build enduring friendships, including ones with people of the same sex, it seems likely that they require social support and engagement. Due to their high level of gregariousness, flamingos can dwell in flocks of thousands. It is possible for flamingos to establish friendships, even relationships with people of the same sex. 

It is found in parts of Northern Africa (including coastal areas of northern Algeria, Egypt further inland along the Nile River, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia), portions of Sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda), Southern Asia (coastal Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka), the Middle East (Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Iran, Oman, Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates) and Southern Europe (including Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, France in the Camargue and Corsica, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Spain and the Balearic Islands, and Turkey).

The Zwillbrocker Venn in western Germany, near the Dutch border, is the most northern nesting location. In Gujarat, a coastal state in western India, flamingos can be seen at the Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary, Flamingo City, and the Thol Bird Sanctuary. In the United Arab Emirates, they have been observed breeding at three separate locations in the Abu Dhabi Emirate. Throughout the whole winter, they stay there.

• Movement Pattern: Full Migrant

• Individual Type: Group

• Population Trend: Increased

• Population: ugh

• Locomotion: Versatile

• Habitat: Temperate Coniferous Forests; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests; Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Salt Flats; Stone Forest; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Mushroom Forests; Mushroom Fields; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Cold Bamboo Forests; Tropical Bamboo Forests; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Graveyard Vale; Mountain; Sky; Warm River; Cold River; Lukewarm River; Warm Pond; Cold Pond; Aquifer; Warm Littoral; Cold Littoral.

• Earth: 

  • Extant (Resident): Angola; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Burundi; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Comoros; Cyprus; Djibouti; Eritrea; Ethiopia; France; Gambia; Gibraltar; Greece; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; India; Iran; Israel; Italy; Kenya; Kuwait; Libya; Madagascar; Malawi; Maldives; Mayotte; Morocco; Mozambique; Nepal; Oman; Pakistan; Qatar; Russia (European Russia); Sao Tome and Principe; Saudi Arabia; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Somalia; Spain; Sri Lanka; Syria; Tanzania; Tunisia; Turkmenistan; Türkiye; Uganda; United Arab Emirates; Uzbekistan; Western Sahara; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe

  • Extant (Breeding): Afghanistan; Algeria; Botswana; Egypt; Kazakhstan; Mauritania; Namibia; Senegal; South Africa

  • Extant (Non-breeding): Bahrain; Iraq; Jordan; North Macedonia; Palestine; Portugal; Russia (Eastern Asian Russia); Slovenia

  • Extant (passage): Lebanon; Sudan

  • Extant & Vagrant (non-breeding): Bulgaria

  • Extant & Vagrant (Seasonality Uncertain): Belarus; Montenegro; Serbia

  • Extant & Vagrant: Austria; Belgium; Cameroon; China; Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Congo Republic; DR Congo; Croatia; Czechia; Denmark; Equatorial Guinea; Eswatini; Finland; Germany; Hungary; Kyrgyzstan; Latvia; Lesotho; Malta; Mauritius; Mongolia; Niger; Norway; Poland; Romania; Russia (Central Asian Russia); Réunion; Slovakia; Spain (Canary Is.); Sweden; Switzerland; Tajikistan

• Berbania/Hirawhassa: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

• Reinachos/Ityosel: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

• Thatrollwa/Delphia: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

• Sawintir/Everrealm: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

• Agarathos: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

• Jotunheim: 

  • Extant: none

  • Extinct: none

Coming soon

Coming soon

Past and Present Incidents - Individuals

• Terran/Gaian

  • Greater (ugh-January 30, 2014 AD): The oldest known greater flamingo was a bird at the Adelaide Zoo in Australia that died at the age of at least 83 years. The bird's exact age is not known; it was already a mature adult when it arrived in Adelaide in 1933. It was euthanized in January 2014 due to complications of old age. Greater's sex was never determined. also known as Flamingo One and Flamingo 1.

• Sawintiran

  • n/a 

• Jotunheim

  • n/a

The Recollections of Queen Arianna - Individuals

• Terran/Gaian

  • n/a

• Berbanian/Hirawhassan

  • n/a

• Reinachos/Ityoselese

  • n/a

• Delphian/Thatrollwan

  • n/a

• Sawintiran

  • n/a

• Jotunheim

  • n/a

See also: none

• Coming soon

• Afrikaans: Grootflamink

• Arabic: نحام كبي

• Azərbaycanca: Adi qızılqaz

• Belarusian: Фламінга звычайны

• Bulgarian: Розово фламинго

• Bhojpuri: राजहंस

• Bengali: বড় ফ্লেমিঙ্গো

• Brezhoneg: Flammeg boutin

• Català: Flamenc rosat

• Čeština: Plameňák růžový

• Dansk: Stor Flamingo

• Deutsch: Rosaflamingo

• English: Greater Flamingo

• Esperanto: Roza flamengo

• Español: Flamenco común

• Farsi: فلامینگوی بزرگتر

• Suomi: Flamingo

• Français: Flamant rose

• Hebrew: פלמינגו מצוי

• Hrvatski: Ružičasti plamenac

• Magyar: Rózsás flamingó

• Hayeren: Ֆլամինգո սովորական

• Italiano: Fenicottero rosa

• Nihongo: オオフラミンゴ

• Қазақша: Кәдімгі қоқиқаз

• Kurdî: Sorewîlka mezintir

• Lietuvių: Didysis flamingas

• Macedonian: Розово фламинго

• Malayalam: വലിയ അരയന്നക്കൊക്ക്

• Mongol: Ягаан нал

• Marathi: महा रोहित

• Bahasa Melayu: Burung Flamingo Caribbean

• Nepali: भद्रपंक्षी

• Nederlands: Flamingo

• Norsk nynorsk: Rosenflamingo

• Norsk: Flamingo

• Odia: ବଡ଼ ଏରା

• Polski: Flaming różowy

• Punjabi: وڈا فلیمنگو

• Português: Flamingo-comum

• Russian: Розовый фламинго

• српски/srpski: Ружичасти фламинго

• Svenska: Större flamingo

• Telugu: பெரும் பூநாரை

• Türkçe: Büyük flamingo

• Ukrainian: Фламінго рожевий

• Tiếng Việt: Hồng hạc lớn

• 粵語: 大紅鸛

• 中文: 大紅鸛

• Coming soon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_flamingo

• https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Phoenicopterus_roseus

• https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=0F9B5174A8ACF737

• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/greater-flamingo

• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697360/155527405