Flamingos are wading birds most notable for their beautiful vibrant colours, which range from deep scarlet through to light shades of pink. There are five species of Flamingos, which come from a variety of rather harsh, inhospitable environments, including frozen, saline lakes high in the Andes Mountains and boiling, volcanic mud flats.
They are very gregarious, social birds that in large colonies of potentially thousands of birds. Flamingos are also known for their entrancing courtship displays, consisting of marching, head turning, calling and preening. Several hundred to several thousand flamingos perform these behaviours at the same time, helping to synchronise breeding within the colony.
We have an impressive colony here at the Zoo, consisting of two species: the Greater and Caribbean Flamingos.