With long legs, s-curved necks, and plumage that ranges from blush to fiery coral, flamingos are living highlighters in the bird world.
These birds owe their color to their diet of brine shrimp and blue-green algae, both rich in carotenoids. Chicks, born a soft gray, develop their adult color over time as their diet changes.
Flamingos use their uniquely shaped bills to separate mud from food. They often feed with their heads upside down, filtering out algae and small crustaceans in a movement that looks like underwater vacuuming.
It’s efficient and oddly elegant, especially when performed by an entire group in sync.
