---
title: "What the sources say about the Greater Flamingo | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "44 claims from the Greater Flamingo profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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canonical: "https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/greater-flamingo/sources/"
---

# What the sources say about the Greater Flamingo (*Phoenicopterus roseus*)

> 44 claims from the Greater Flamingo profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Greater Flamingo](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/greater-flamingo/)

## Flamingo. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/flamingo

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| a one-legged stance scientists aren't sure about | Why do flamingos stand on one leg? Scientists aren't sure. (note: tagline) |
| the world's six flamingo species | GENUS AND SPECIES: Phoenicopterus roseus (greater flamingo), Phoenicopterus chilensis (Chilean flamingo), Phoeniconaias minor (lesser flamingo), Phoenicoparrus andinus (Andean flamingo), Phoenicoparrus jamesi (puna or James’s flamingo), Phoenicopterus ruber (American or Caribbean flamingo) (note: SDZ's Flamingo page lists exactly these six species.) |
| the tallest and heaviest | Height: Tallest - greater flamingo, 3.9 to 4.7 feet (120 to 145 centimeters) ... Weight: Heaviest - greater flamingo, 4.6 to 9 pounds (2.1 to 4.1 kilograms) |
| adults stand 3.9 to 4.7 feet (120 to 145 centimeters) tall | Height: Tallest - greater flamingo, 3.9 to 4.7 feet (120 to 145 centimeters) |
| weigh 4.6 to 9 pounds (2.1 to 4.1 kilograms) | Weight: Heaviest - greater flamingo, 4.6 to 9 pounds (2.1 to 4.1 kilograms) (note: SDZ (current) overrides ADW's older 1.9 to 3 kg.) |
| Flamingos live 20 to 30 years in the wild, and a zoo bird can go much longer | LIFE SPAN 20 to 30 years in the wild; up to 50 years in zoos (note: SDZ's lifespan line covers all flamingos, so the sentence says "Flamingos". ADW's older greater-flamingo account gives the same average ("20 to 30 years in captivity and the wild").) |
| Flamingos suck water and mud in at the front of the bill, then pump it out at the sides, where plates called lamellae act like tiny filters | Flamingos feed by sucking water and mud in at the front of the bill and then pumping it out again at the sides. Here, briny plates called lamellae act like tiny filters (note: SDZ describes flamingos generally, so the sentence says "Flamingos".) |
| The One-Leg Mystery Scientists aren't sure why flamingos stand on one leg. | Why do flamingos stand on one leg? Scientists aren't sure. (note: Blockquote bold lead-in concatenated with its first sentence.) |
| One idea is that tucking the free leg against the body cuts heat loss, but the habit also shows up in hot climates | There is less heat lost through the leg if it is tucked next to the bird's body; however, this behavior is also seen in hot climates. |
| Another idea is simpler: standing that way is probably just comfortable | Another explanation is more mundane: it's probably a comfortable position for standing. |
| Flamingos get their pink from carotenoids, pigments like the ones in carrots, found in the algae and small crustaceans they eat | The flamingo’s pink or reddish color comes from the rich sources of carotenoid pigments (like the pigments of carrots) in the algae and small crustaceans the birds eat. (note: SDZ covers all flamingos, so the sentence says "Flamingos".) |
| Flamingo group displays follow set moves with names like head-flagging, wing salutes, twist-preens, and marching, and the flocks can number in the thousands | Flamingos are social birds that live in groups of varying sizes, from a few pairs to sometimes thousands or tens of thousands. Their numbers add to the impressiveness of ritualized flamingo displays ... Head-flagging: Stretching the neck ... Wing salute: Showing off the contrasting colors ... Twist-preen: The bird twists its neck back and appears to preen ... Marching: The large, tightly packed flock walks together as one (note: SDZ describes flamingos generally, so the sentence says "Flamingo".) |
| Flamingo chicks are fed "crop milk," a milky fluid from the parents' upper digestive tract that both mothers and fathers can provide | the chick is fed a type of “milk” called crop milk that comes from the parents’ upper digestive tract ... Both males and females can feed the chick this way ... continue to feed their chick with the milky secretion |
| Feeding it drains a parent's color so much that its plumage can turn pale pink or white | As the parents feed their chicks the crop milk, they are drained of their color—so much so that their plumage turns a pale pink or white! |
| Chicks soon leave the nest for a crèche, a flamingo daycare watched over by a few adults | After hatching, the chick stays on the nest mound for 5 to 12 days. ... Chicks flock together in large groups called crèches, looked after by a few adults |
| Scientists aren't sure. One idea is that tucking the free leg up against the body cuts heat loss, but flamingos also do it in hot climates. Another idea is simpler: standing that way is probably just comfortable. | Why do flamingos stand on one leg? Scientists aren't sure. There is less heat lost through the leg if it is tucked next to the bird's body; however, this behavior is also seen in hot climates. Another explanation is more mundane: it's probably a comfortable position for standing. (note: FAQ 2) |
| Crop milk is a milky fluid that comes from a flamingo parent's upper digestive tract. Both males and females can feed their chick this way, and even flamingos that are not the parents can act as foster-feeders. Feeding a chick this way drains the parents of their color, so much that their feathers can turn pale pink or white. | the chick is fed a type of “milk” called crop milk that comes from the parents’ upper digestive tract. ... Both males and females can feed the chick this way, and even flamingos that are not the parents can act as foster-feeders. ... As the parents feed their chicks the crop milk, they are drained of their color—so much so that their plumage turns a pale pink or white! (note: FAQ 3) |

## Phoenicopterus roseus (greater flamingo). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Phoenicopterus_roseus/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Pink from pigments in its food | The algae they consume help them maintain the pink tones in their plumage. ... not having enough carotenoids in their diet to change their color (note: tagline. Reviewer replaced "stolen pigment": the pigment is eaten, and nothing is taken from anyone.) |
| a filter-feeding bill that works upside down | They have a shallow keeled bill, which helps them filter feed. ... Because of the shape of the bill, greater flamingos are forced to bend so that the head is upside down in the water (note: tagline) |
| The species ranges from West Africa and parts of Europe through the Middle East to South and Southwest Asia | Greater flamingos are found in the middle east, including Iran, Turkey, Dubai, Oman, and Afghanistan. They are also common in south and southwest Asia. Greater flamingos are also found at lower densities in west Africa ... and numerous locations around Europe, such as Italy, Greece, and France. (note: "parts of Europe" is ADW's "numerous locations around Europe"; the writer's "Mediterranean" was not the source's word.) |
| It mainly lives in the shallow water of lagoons, lakes, estuaries, and muddy beaches, where the water is very salty or extremely alkaline (the chemical opposite of acidic), with a pH of up to 11 | They are mainly found in shallow waters of lagoons, lakes, estuaries, and muddy beaches. These waters all have a very high salt content or they are extremely alkaline, with a pH up to 11. (note: "the chemical opposite of acidic" is a first-use definition of alkaline, not a claim about the flamingo.) |
| Because of the shape of its bill, a greater flamingo has to feed with its head upside down in the water | Because of the shape of the bill, greater flamingos are forced to bend so that the head is upside down in the water, using their long neck and bill to dig into the mud at the bottom of the water to feed. |
| The greater flamingo's catch includes algae, brine shrimp, and chironomid ("lake fly") larvae | they tend to consume organisms that are commonly found there, like algae, diatoms, crustaceans, insect larvae, and mollusks ... Their diet also includes brine shrimp (Artemia selina), chironomid larvae or "lake flies" (Chironomidae) |
| A breeding pair builds a nest mound, usually of mud | A pair of flamingos build a nest, usually made of mud and other materials, on an island or the coastline of a lake. The mound of mud is hardened by the sun |
| The female lays a single egg, and both parents take turns sitting on it for 27 to 31 days | has a concave center for a single egg. The incubation time of the egg is 27 to 31 days. Both the male and female take turns incubating the egg. (note: "sitting on it" is a plain-words paraphrase of incubating. SDZ (current) gives the same 27 to 31 days for flamingos.) |
| Because of the shape of its bill, a greater flamingo has to bend so that its head is upside down in the water. It uses its long neck and bill to dig into the mud at the bottom, then filters out what lives there, such as algae, crustaceans, insect larvae, and mollusks. | Because of the shape of the bill, greater flamingos are forced to bend so that the head is upside down in the water, using their long neck and bill to dig into the mud at the bottom of the water to feed. Because they filter prey from the mud, they tend to consume organisms that are commonly found there, like algae, diatoms, crustaceans, insect larvae, and mollusks. (note: FAQ 1. Ref moved from sdz-flamingo, which never names algae or diatoms as greater flamingo food, to ADW, which also answers the question's "why".) |
| Shallow lagoons, lakes, estuaries, and muddy beaches with very salty or extremely alkaline water (up to pH 11) | They are mainly found in shallow waters of lagoons, lakes, estuaries, and muddy beaches. These waters all have a very high salt content or they are extremely alkaline, with a pH up to 11. (note: stats.habitat) |
| from West Africa and parts of Europe to the Middle East and South Asia | Greater flamingos are found in the middle east, including Iran, Turkey, Dubai, Oman, and Afghanistan. They are also common in south and southwest Asia. Greater flamingos are also found at lower densities in west Africa ... and numerous locations around Europe, such as Italy, Greece, and France. (note: stats.habitat range) |
| A filter-feeding bill that works with the head upside down | They have a shallow keeled bill, which helps them filter feed. ... Because of the shape of the bill, greater flamingos are forced to bend so that the head is upside down in the water (note: stats.superpower. The writer's "built to work in soda lakes" linked the bill to the water with a cause no source gives.) |
| in water with a pH of up to 11 | These waters all have a very high salt content or they are extremely alkaline, with a pH up to 11. (note: stats.superpower) |
| Algae, diatoms, brine shrimp, and chironomid ("lake fly") larvae filtered from mud and shallow water | Because they filter prey from the mud, they tend to consume organisms that are commonly found there, like algae, diatoms, crustaceans, insect larvae, and mollusks ... Their diet also includes brine shrimp (Artemia selina), chironomid larvae or "lake flies" (Chironomidae) (note: stats.diet) |

## Phoenicopterus roseus. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

https://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Phoenicopterus_roseus

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| one wild-born male greater flamingo was estimated at 58.8 years old and was still alive at London Zoo in 2020 | One wild-born male specimen was estimated to be 58.8 years of age and still alive at London Zoo in 2020 (Zoe Bryant, pers. comm.). |
| The AnAge ageing database lists a maximum lifespan in captivity of 58.8 years, from a wild-born male at London Zoo that was estimated to be that old and still alive in 2020. An Adelaide Zoo flamingo was reportedly 83 when it died in 2014, but that age has not been confirmed. | Maximum longevity 58.8 years (captivity) ... One wild-born male specimen was estimated to be 58.8 years of age and still alive at London Zoo in 2020 (Zoe Bryant, pers. comm.). ... One specimen at Adelaide Zoo was reportedly 83 years of age when it died in 2014, having arrived at the zoo in 1933, though this has not been confirmed. (note: FAQ 4) |

## Sandri et al. (2017). How to be a great dad: parental care in a flock of greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus). PeerJ.

https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3404

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| In a study of one zoo flock in Italy, males spent more time than females on and near the nest, and were more aggressive toward other flamingos there | a captive colony of greater flamingo hosted at Parco Natura Viva, an Italian zoological garden ... males spent more time than females on the nest ( P = 0.010) and near it ( P = 0.0001) and were more aggressive toward other flamingos than females, both when sitting on the nest ( P = 0.003) and when near the nest ( P = 0.0003). |
| In wild greater flamingos, hatching success is about 30%, because predators and other threats are common. Those threats are almost absent in captivity | In wild greater flamingos, the hatchling success is about 30% due to a high frequency of predation and other threats, almost absent in captivity (Brown & King, 2005). (note: Sandri et al. cite this from the AZA/EAZA Flamingo Husbandry Guidelines (Brown & King 2005); it is a secondary figure.) |
| in the Italian zoo flock, 77% of breeding pairs had a chick | In the current study, 77% of the breeding pairs had a chick. |

## Perrot et al. (2016). Sexual display complexity varies non-linearly with age and predicts breeding status in greater flamingos. Scientific Reports.

https://doi.org/10.1038/srep36242

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Researchers scoring wild greater flamingos aged 4 to 37 found their displays grew more complex until about age 20 and less complex after that | of wild flamingos aged between 4 and 37 yrs ... age had a quadratic effect, with SDC increasing until about age 20yrs, and declining afterwards |
| Birds with more complex, varied displays were more likely to breed | SDC was defined as the product of richness (the number of different display movements) and versatility (the number of transitions between movements) ... positively influenced the probability of becoming a breeder. (note: The writer's "pair up" was cut: "SDC better explained pairing patterns than age" is about who pairs with whom (assortative mating), not the odds of pairing.) |

## Amat et al. (2010). Greater flamingos Phoenicopterus roseus use uropygial secretions as make-up. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-010-1068-z

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A greater flamingo also spreads preen oil, an oily fluid its own body makes, over its feathers. The oil carries the same carotenoids as the feathers, so it makes them more colorful, like makeup | The presence of carotenoids in preen oils ... here we confirm for the first time its presence in such oils. Moreover, the carotenoids in the uropygial secretions were the same specific pigments found in feathers. We show not only that the colour of feathers of greater flamingos Phoenicopterus roseus became more colourful due to the application of carotenoids from uropygial secretions over the plumage ... thus providing evidence of cosmetic coloration. |
| One study found greater flamingos do this much more often while displaying in groups than during the rest of the year | Flamingos used uropygial secretions as cosmetic much more frequently during periods when they were displaying in groups than during the rest of the year |
| birds with more colorful plumage started nesting earlier | Individuals with more colourful plumage initiated nesting earlier. |
| it spreads preen oil carrying the same carotenoid pigments as its feathers over its plumage | the carotenoids in the uropygial secretions were the same specific pigments found in feathers. We show not only that the colour of feathers of greater flamingos Phoenicopterus roseus became more colourful due to the application of carotenoids from uropygial secretions over the plumage (note: vibe.reason; replaces 'elegant retro coastal nostalgia', a place and mood clause (#218)) |
| most often while displaying in groups | Flamingos used uropygial secretions as cosmetic much more frequently during periods when they were displaying in groups than during the rest of the year (note: vibe.reason) |

## Phoenicopterus roseus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T22697360A166321997.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2021-3.rlts.t22697360a166321997.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Least Concern | Least Concern (note: stats.conservationStatus; verified against GBIF's copy of the 2020/2021 Red List assessment for Phoenicopterus roseus.) |