The American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is a large wetland wading bird. It is also known as the Caribbean Flamingo. 

The American Flamingo has reddish-pink feathers. Its wing coverts are red, and the primary and secondary flight feathers are black. Its beak is pink and white with a black tip. Its long legs are pink, and it usually stands on one leg. It has a long, curved S-shaped neck. 

It measures 120-145 centimetres (47-57 inches) tall. 

The American Flamingo is native to North America. It prefers calm water in lagoons, mudflats, and shallow coastal lakes. 

It feeds on algae and plankton, and also shrimp, insects, and snails. Birds don’t have teeth, although the American Flamingo has comb-like structures on its beak that enable it to filter food from the water. 

The American Flamingo lives in flocks. The female lays one egg on the muddy ground and both parents look after it. The egg hatches after 28-32 days. 

The chick has grey feathers, and does not gain the pink colour for 2-3 years. Both parents produce a nutritious milk-like substance in their crop gland to feed the chick. Both parents look after the young for the first six years of its life.

The average life expectancy is about 40 years. 

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM