2. It is not known whether the populations of lesser flamingos in East Africa are genetically related to a smaller isolated population living in India. But a new study being conducted at the UK’s University of Leicester is aiming to discover just that, through genetic research on feathers from birds at each location. Revealing whether or not these groups of flamingos are distinct or whether they interact might clear up long-standing mystery about their migratory patterns.
3. Flamingos feed on blue-green algae, and to a lesser extent, shrimp. Surprisingly, it is the algae that give the lesser flamingo its characteristic soft pink colouring, as they are virtually all this species eats. The algae contain a photosynthetic pigment which is expressed in the birds’ plumage. The particular algae favoured by flamingos, mainly Spirulina, only grow in alkaline water, which explains the concentrations of the birds around the soda lakes of the Great Rift Valley.
4. It is thought by many that the flamingo may have inspired the ancient myth of the phoenix, the immortal firebird which burns periodically then is reborn from the ashes. The flamingo, as well as having a majestic stature and otherworldly bright colouring, has another feature which is phoenix-like – flamingos build a raised mound nest above salt flats, which are too hot for the eggs, creating a convection effect that resembles the flames you might expect during a phoenix re-birth.
5. East Africa is home to over 2 million lesser flamingos, the largest concentration in the world. They create a vast sea of pink as they gather at their regular breeding ground at Lake Natron, in Tanzania, close to the Kenya border. They also appear in huge flocks in Kenya at Lake Nakuru (their main feeding ground) and Lake Bogoria.
Click here to see a stunning film of flamingos at Lake Bogoria:
Beautiful picture. So Original, so natural. I wish I were witness the amazing moment.
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