Flamingo exodus

Lake Nakuru in Kenya, near the home of Africa House Safaris, is probably best known for its huge population of flamingos. But the lake has been looking rather different in recent months as the vast majority of these elegant birds have flown north in favour of Lake Bogoria, about 100km away.


The reason for this mass exodus is thought to be the dramatic recent rise in the water level at Lake Nakuru. This is attributable to a combination of increasing human population, drainage issues caused by land use changes, and climatic factors, including unusually heavy rain. The increase in water volume has reduced the lake’s salt concentration, which in turn has meant less of the algae on which the flamingos depend for food.

One upside of this development is that wildlife seekers visiting Nakuru are finding that a wider variety of birdlife is now far more visible at the lake. With the usual sea of pink absent, guests can now spot pelicans, storks, gulls and an abundance of migratory birds – as well as the reduced number of flamingos that have remained here. Hippos that wallow in the lake are also now easier to spot. Plus, the higher water levels have flooded much of the grassland in the vicinity, making it easier to sight mammals such as buffaloes, baboons and impala on land.

This switch of habitats for the flamingos is expected to be only a temporary phenomenon. When the water levels at Lake Nakuru subside and more typical environmental conditions resume, we look forward to welcoming back the million-plus flock of flamingos to their usual home.

Five fascinating flamingo facts

1. The flamingos that are a characteristic presence along the Great Rift Valley in East Africa are actually lesser flamingos. They are found around the lakes throughout Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. These are marked out from five other species of flamingo by their relatively small size and black colouring on their bills.

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:

Kenya lakes get World Heritage status

The Kenya Lake System, one of the country’s most alluring natural features, has recently been designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site. The system, which comprises three interconnected lakes – Bogoria, Nakuru and Elementaita – joins the likes of the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon on Unesco’s prestigious list of places considered to have outstanding value to humanity.



African wild dogs and flamingos at Lake Nakuru


The lakes, which are form part of the Great Rift Valley, provide a habitat for an extraordinary catalogue of wildlife. Most notably, they are a crucial site for lesser flamingos and an important nesting and breeding ground for great white pelicans. The lakes harbour a vast array of other birdlife too, including several threatened species. Many of Africa’s famous mammals also make their home here, such as giraffes, cheetahs, black rhinos and African wild dogs.

Unesco is the United Nations agency responsible for promoting the protection of places of natural or cultural importance to the world. Other Kenyan sites which have previously been awarded World Heritage status include the old town of Lamu and Mount Kenya National Park.