The flamingo is one of the most stunning animals that can be seen today. The beautiful creature is often a deep pink color and can be seen gracefully standing on one leg on the water’s edge. To know more about these fascinating creatures, read on.
Flamingos are known for their beautiful pink feathers but many people do not know that the pink color is actually based on their diet. It is very common to see white flamingos in places where their diet is slightly different. Flamingos are filter feeders. This means they don’t look for food item by item, they simply disrupt the water floor stirring up some food and then take a large mouthful of water. They have the ability to then push out the water and leave all the debris behind.
The method of eating means their diet consists of worms, crustaceans, algae, and insects. The carotenoids in the crustaceans are what make the feathers turn pink. Filter feeding is one of the best motivators to start to clean up our environment. If that same waterbed consists of plastic then the flamingo will digest them.
Flamingos travel in large colonies. Some groups have been found to be over 400,000 in total. This is likely a method used to protect the vulnerable animal. One of their most vulnerable times is eating. The animals will lower their head upside down into the water. This approach, although vulnerable is very unique in the animal world. The flamingo is one of the only animals in the world that can move its upper jaw while eating. If you are now trying to chew with your upper jaw then don’t worry, we tried too.
While the flamingo is often highlighted for its beautiful pink coat it is extraordinary for so many reasons. If the flamingo doesn’t inspire you to properly dispose of your rubbish, nothing will.
