Bird
Caribbean Flamingo
Phoenicopterus ruber
The Caribbean Flamingo is a large wading bird (long-legged bird that walks in water in search of food) and is also called the American Flamingo outside of the Caribbean. These majestic birds vary in shades of pink, red and orange and they have the brightest plumage of all Flamingo species in the world. They have black flight feathers along the edges of the wings which are only visible in flight. C
Description
The Caribbean Flamingo is a large wading bird (long-legged bird that walks in water in search of food) and is also called the American Flamingo outside of the Caribbean. These majestic birds vary in shades of pink, red and orange and they have the brightest plumage of all Flamingo species in the world. They have black flight feathers along the edges of the wings which are only visible in flight. Chicks are usually grey in colour but their plumage slowly turns pink as they mature. They have a slender body with an extremely long, flexible neck containing 19 cervical vertebraes. They also have very long legs with webbed feet which supports them on soft mud and assist in swimming. They have a small head with a large, thick, hooked bill with a black tip that is curved downwards. Caribbean Flamingos depends on rainfall and have no set breeding season. Pairs are monogamous and mate for life. Flamingos perform elaborate group displays and courtship rituals including synchronized dancing, honking, neck stretching and preening. Females lay one one egg high on a mound around 30cm tall. Both parents assist in building the nest which is made with mud (sometimes twigs and roots) using their jaws. Incubation period is around 27 - 31 days. After the chick hatches they are fed a substance called "crop milk" which comes from the parents upper digestive tract. Crop milk contains both fat and protein and is produced in the first few weeks. It is bright red in colour but contains no blood cells. Chicks are brooded for about 5-15 days and gathers with other chicks in large créches which several adults look after. Chick fledge at 70-75 days old and becomes mature at 3-5 years and gain their fulll adult plumage. Caribbean Flamingos are very social and gather in groups of hundreds.
Fun Facts
Like all Flamingo species, their pink colouration is determined by the amount of carotenoid pigment that is injested. These pigments are found in their food source and the more they consume the stronger their colour will be. The carotenoid is absorbed in the birds tissues, skin, blood and even the egg yolk. Flamingos are one of the strangest birds, they eat with their head upside-down, sleeps with their head on their back and rest by standing for long periods on one leg.