Flamingo fun
Flamingos are unique birds. They eat upside down, stand on one leg and have pink feathers! While these traits make flamingos fun to watch, it is even more fun to learn why flamingos are the way they are.
Why are flamingos pink?
Flamingos get their pink color from a substance called caretenoid that is found in the foods they eat. In the wild, flamingos eat algae and crustaceans — aquatic insects such as brine shrimp. At the Reid Park Zoo, we provide them with a diet specially made for flamingos. To help the flamingos keep their pink color, caretenoid is added into their food. Without caretenoid, flamingos would be pale. What do you think would happen if we fed our flamingos blueberries? Although it would look cool, unfortunately flamingos can only turn the color pink.
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Have you ever seen a flamingo eat?
If you watch carefully, you will notice that flamingos hold their heads upside down when they eat. Their long necks help flamingos move their head from side to side so they can search for food in a large area while standing in one spot. They use their hooked beaks to scoop up mud and water. Then their tongue pushes the water out while tiny hairs around their mouths trap the food.
Why do flamingos stand on one leg?
Flamingos have long legs that let them wade into deeper water than most birds, to help them search for food. When resting, they stand on only one leg to keep the other leg next to their warm body on cold days.
Keeper quote
"In November, four new flamingos from the Caldwell Zoo in Texas joined our flock. We are hoping that having a larger group of flamingos will encourage the flamingos to breed," says Kim Clark, who has been a zookeeper for 13 years.
Flamingo fun facts
● The main predators of the flamingo are other birds.
● Flamingos often live in flocks of up to thousands of birds.
● Flamingos have webbed feet that help them swim and walk in muddy areas.
● Flamingos are found in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Central America and South America.
● Flamingos prefer water that contains some salt. They can survive in habitats that have twice the amount of salt as the ocean.
● There are five species (types) of flamingo: Chilean, Greater, Lesser, Andean and Puna.
See for yourself
The flamingos are located in the back of the Reid Park Zoo in the mill pond. The zoo has 11 Chilean flamingos — five males and six females. The males are a bit taller than the females. The flamingos share the pond with several duck and fish species.
The next time you visit the zoo, make sure you visit Tupi. The Baird's tapir exhibit is toward the back of the South American loop. You might find Tupi in the pond, as tapirs love water and are excellent swimmers.
• Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
• Directions: From East 22nd Street, between South Alvernon Way and South Country Club Road, turn north on South Randolph Way.
• Admission: $6 adults ages 15-61; $4 seniors 62 and older; $2 children ages 2-14; free for children under 2 and for members.
• Information: 791-4022.
• Online: www.tucsonzoo.org.