Neander97 / Historic Trivia: presents the natural history of flamingos. (April 2001)
Neander97's Historical Trivia
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FLAMINGOS:
A NATURAL HISTORY
Taxonomy:
Class: Aves (birds)
Order: Ciconiiformes.
Ciconiiformes also includes storks, herons, and ibises - - i.e. birds with long legs and long necks.
The task of placing flamingos in the correct order presented taxonomists with quite the challenge:
- the pelvis and ribs of flamingos resemble those of stork.
- the composition of egg-white proteins in flamingo eggs resemble those of herons.
- behaviorally, flamingos (especially the young) act much like geese patterns, (order Anseriformes).
- the webbed feet and waterproof plumage of flamingos resemble geese.
Odd critters in many ways, it would seem. So odd that some taxonomists would place them in there own order, Phoenicopteriformes.
Family: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are the only members of the family Phoenicopteridae. Among the flamingo's disguishing characteristics is its: long legs; long, curved neck; and gooselike voice.
Genus / species:
There are five species of flamingos divided into three genera:
Phoenicopterus ruber consists of two distinct and geographically diverse subspecies: P. r. ruber and P. r. roseus.
P. r. ruber, the Caribbean flamingo, is slightly smaller than P. r. roseus.
P. r. roseus, the greater flamingo, is the largest of the flamingos - - it is noted for its deep pink wings.
Phoenicopterus chilensis, the Chilean flamingo. Chileans are slightly smaller than their Caribbean cousins - - they are noted for their gray legs which bear pink bands at the joints.
Phoeniconaias minor, the lesser flamingo. The smallest of all flamingos, this bird is the most colorful of all flamingos - - it plumage it typically much brighter than that of the greater flamingo.
Phoenicoparrus jamesi, the James' flamingo. This species is characterized it bearing all black flight feathers, including the secondary flight feathers (these are red in the other species.
Phoenicoparrus andinus, the Andean flamingo. The only species of flamingo to have yellow legs and feet - - it also bears a red spot between its nostrils.
Images of the various species of flamingos can be found HERE.
Fossil Flamingos:
Fossil evidence indicates that flamingos have ancient lineage - - ancestral flamingos existed some 30 million years ago, this pre-existing many other avian orders. Fossilized flamingo footprints, estimated to be seven million years old, have been found in the Andes Mountains.
Flamingo Geography:
All flamingos are found in tropical and subtropical areas, all non-plastic and / or non-captive flamingos, that is.
The Chilean flamingo is found in central Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. The occasional Chilean flamingo has been sited in the Falkland Islands.
The lesser flamingo is primarily found in eastern, southwestern, and western Africa. Although a sizable population does nests in India. The odd lesser flamingo can also be found in southern Spain.
The James' flamingo has the most restricted home-range of all the flamingo species. They are found in southern Peru, northeastern Chile, western Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina.
Andean flamingos are found in southern Peru, north-central Chile, western Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina.
The Caribbean flamingo is limited to Yucatan, parts of the West Indies, Bahamas, Galapagos Islands, and the northernmost tip of South America.
The greater flamingo is the most widespread of all flamingo species. These birds are found in northwest India, the Middle East, the western Mediterranean, and Africa. At times, the birds can be found, in limited numbers, in northern Europe and Siberia.
Flamingo Habitat:
Typical flamingo habitats and haunts are large alkaline or saline lakes or estuarine lagoons that lack vegetation. Thus, a variety of habitats are exploited by these birds, including: mangrove swamps, tidal flats, and sandy islands in the inter-tidal zone.
The presence or absence of fish often determines whether or not flamingos will inhabit a particular body of water. The Chilean flamingo rarely inhabits lakes with fish and are typically found in large numbers in lakes where there are no fish with which to compete for food. This is also true of the Caribbean flamingo, which like its Chilean cousin, feeds largely on invertebrates.. However, other flamingo species are not affected by fish population as they depend upon different sources of food.
Flamingo Size & Stature:
The greater flamingo is the tallest of all flamingos, coming at from 40 to 50 inches (100-130 centimeters) and weighing between 7 and 8 pounds (3.1-3.6 kilograms). The lesser flamingo is, not surprisingly, the smallest of all flamingos, standing a mere 30 inches (76 centimeters) tall and weighing only 5 to 6 pounds (2.26-2.75 kilograms). Typically, male flamingos are slightly larger than females - - they weigh more than females and have longer wingspans. The wingspan of flamingos ranges from 37-39 inches (93-99 centimeters) for the lesser flamingo to 55-65 inches (139-165 centimeters) for the greater flamingo. The Caribbean flamingo has a wingspan that averages 59 inches (150 centimeters).
Dietary Habits:
The flamingo's diet consists largely of: blue-green and red algae, diatoms, larval and adult forms of small insects, crustaceans, molluscs, and small fishes.
A flamingo's pink or reddish feathers, leg, and facial coloration comes from a diet high in alpha and beta carotenoid pigments. The richest sources of these carotenoids are found in the algae and various insects that make up the bulk of a flamingo's diet.
The shape of a flamingo's filtering bill determines its diet. A flamingo will either have a shallow or deep-keeled bill.
The lesser, James', and Andean flamingos all have deep-keeled bills and feed mainly on algae and diatoms.
The Greater, and Chilean flamingos have shallow-keeled bills and feed, largely, on insects, aquatic invertebrates, and small fishes.
The Caribbean flamingo has a shallow-keeled bill and feeds almost exclusively on larval and pupa forms of flies and brine shrimp.
Adult Lesser flamingos need to consume estimated 2.1 ounces, dry weight (60 grams) of food to remain healthy. Caribbean flamingos require approximately 9.5 ounces, dry weight (270 grams) of food per day.
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