10 Flamingo Facts All Flamingo Fans Should Know

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The flamingo is your favorite animal, and for good reason; it’s elegant, fabulous, and awkwardly adorable. Those are all facts, but there are even more facts about this fantastic fowl. These are 10 flamingo facts all flamingo fans should know.

10 Flamingo Facts All Flamingo Fans Should Know

There are Six Species of Flamingos

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Ever notice that some flamingos look pretty dissimilar from others? That’s because there are six species - American (Caribbean), Andean, Chilean, Greater, Lesser, Puna (James) - and they can be found in different parts of the world. You can learn more about the flamingo species and where they live here.

Their Pink Color Comes from Their Diet

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Flamingos are notoriously pink, but why? Well, it’s because of the food they eat. There are pigments in some of their favorite meals that slowly turn their feathers pink over years.

Flamingos Don’t Start Out Pink

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The birds are born white or gray, and that’s the natural color of flamingos. It’s only after years of consuming food with carotenoids that their feathers tint pink.

The Flamingo is the National Bird of The Bahamas

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We all love flamingos, but do we love them more than The Bahamas? That’s tough to say considering The Bahamas has declared the flamingo as its national bird. There are more than 50,000 flamingos living in Inagua, a district in the country, and they’re protected by the Bahamas National Trust that has existed since 1959.

Flamingos Come from Fire

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Flamingos are named after the Spanish and Latin word “flamenco,” which means fire. The bird’s fiery-colored feathers are the inspiration behind the moniker.

A Flock of Flamingos Is a Flamboyance

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If you love flamingos, you have to know this: a flock of these fabulous fowls is known as a flamboyance. Your life is now better knowing this funnest of facts.

Flamingos Experience Love, or Something Like It

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Partnerships between flamingos are very strong. Flamingos have been seen mating with more than one partner before, but it is clear that relative to many creatures in the animal kingdom, flamingos can have the tendency to remain with one partner. So, flamingos do have some concept of love within them.

One Egg Per Year

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Female flamingos typically only lay one egg per year. So, flamingos are similar to humans in that they often partner up, and they’re also similar in that they are generally only birthing one offspring at a time. If for whatever reason the egg does not hatch, flamingos don’t normally lay another one. That means protecting that egg is very, very important.

Flamingos Live in Colonies

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Flamingos run in groups. There have been times when flamingos have been seen alone, but it’s uncommon, not what they prefer, and sometimes a cause for concern for their well being. Their colonies, or flamboyances, range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands or more in size.

Their Size Helps Them Fly

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Adult flamingos generally range in height between four and five feet. They can get even bigger, though, sometimes reaching nearly six-feet tall. However, these majestic birds normally only weigh between five and eight pounds, and their wingspans can get up to more than 60 inches. These heights, weights, and wingspans are dependent on species and sex, but the ratio of height and wingspan to weight gives all kinds of this fowl a great physique for lifting off into the air.