The truth about... flamingos

There are six species of flamingo found around the world. We have two species living at Durrel; Chilean flamingos and greater flamingos.

Did you know…
flamingo chicks are not pink, but grey to avoid being spotted by predators?

Flamingos long legs allow them to wade deeper into the water in search of food. They eat small plants and animals such as algae, insects and brine shrimps, which they filter out of the water using the specially adapted bristles inside their beaks.

Did you know…
in some places in the wild, over a million flamingos will gather together?

Flamingos have strong pair bond sand keep the same mate from one year to the next. They lay one egg in a mud nest and they share the incubation.

Flamingos can live for more than 60 years in captivity.

Click here to download the flamingo factsheet.