Their tendency to eat … Flamingos eat larva, small insects, blue-green and red algae, mollusks, crustaceans and small fish, according to Sea World. The average flamingo lifespan is about 25 to 30 years. Flamingos are wading birds with a long neck and long legs. They do, indeed: Several species of hawks eat songbirds, according to the National Audubon Society, such as Cooper’s hawks, red-tailed hawks, and rough-legged hawks. The wingspan of flamingos measures about 152 cm (60 in). Similar species Behaviour Diet Calls Reproduction. Blue Flamingos generally mate for life. 03.05.2015 - Blue flamingos (Aenean phoenicopteri) have been found in the Isla Pinzon archipelago, (in the Galapagos Islands) on January 23rd, 2012. Chemicals in … These birds are the elegant swimmers. According to the West Virginia University Extension Service , it’s nature’s way of controlling songbirds’ numbers to maintain a balanced population. lol! They are most commonly found feeding near the shore, where they can keep their bodies above the water, and the sunlight can reach the bottom of the water source. For flamingos, the phrase “You are what you eat” holds more truth than it might for humans. Flamingos eat plankton, which are tiny water plants and creatures that float in water, such as algae and shrimp. The flamingo can be found in South America, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean, depending on the species. So, the pinker the flamingo, the bigger the shrimp hog! Flamingos are a pink or red color because of the carotenoid pigments that are found in the food that they eat. But no, their are no such things as blue flamingos. Alkaline lakes are the ideal places of flamingos. Flamingos eat algae, diatoms and small crustaceans found in lagoons or large, shallow lakes.

As it has a long beak and long, thin legs, the people who spotted the species recognized the animal almost immediately. Flamingos do not have too many predators. In captivity these birds can live up to the age of 50 years. They wade along the edges of lakes and lagoons (shallow areas of water linked to the sea). BUT their are blue … In addition, Andean miners kill flamingos with the belief that the bird’s fat can cure tuberculosis. Although man does not eat flamingos, they are generally considered the biggest threat to the bird’s survival, as they destroy and exploit the flamingo’s habitat. The bright pink color of flamingos comes from beta carotene, a red-orange pigment that’s found in high numbers within the algae, larvae, and brine shrimp that flamingos eat in their wetland environment. Flamingos are also known to eat diatoms, microscopic plankton, and even blue-green algae that is stirred up by their feet. Blue Flamingos kept in captivity are known for developing a snowy white plumage rather than its typical colour; thus, suggesting that its natural blue plumage is based off its diet or specific habitual environment.