Flamingos are birds belonging to the genus Phoenicopterus, of which three living species are known, Phoenicopterus chilensis (Chilean flamingo), Phoenicopterus roseus (common flamingo) and Phoenicopterus ruber (pink flamingo), all of thempink when they are adults
This unique large bird with a peculiar appearance is capable of traveling long distances during the migration season. They live in wetlands, where they feed and raise their chicks, only one per pair. At birth, the chicks are grayish-white with black parts of the body, but when they reach adulthood, they acquire a wonderful and characteristic pink color.
In this article on our site we will discover how this emblematic bird acquires this color and we will solve your doubt about why flamingos are pink, Do not miss it!
The color of birds
The color of birds is the result of the accumulation of pigments in the intergumentary structures (skin or, mainly, feathers). Birds do not produce all of the pigments or colors that they display, most of which come from the diet. Thus, birds can create melanin, giving black or brown colors in their different shades, the absence of this pigment gives the color white, other colors such as yellow, orange, red or greenare acquired through food.
There is only one group of birds, belonging to the Musophagidae family, that synthesize true pigments in addition to melanin, these pigments are uroporphyrin III, which gives a violet color, and turacoverdin, the only truly green pigment known in birds.
The plumage of birds has multiple functions, such as camouflage, finding a mate or establishing territory. Likewise, the feathers of a bird can give us a lot of information about the individual, such as their state of he alth, age, sex, way of life and vital period in found.
Birds usually moult their feathers at least once a year, this moult does not occur randomly, each region of the body pull the feathers at a given time. In addition, there are specific molts that only occur before the mating season or reproductive period of the species, giving rise to a different plumage from that of the rest of the year, normally more showy and striking, whose purpose is to find a partner.
The color and shape of feathers are determined by genetics and hormonal influences Feathers are mainly composed of keratin, a protein, which is produced and organized by epidermal cells before the feather begins to exit a follicle in the skin. Variations in the structure of keratin produce optical effects which, together with the different distribution of pigments, give rise to different color patterns in birds.
Also discover which is the largest bird in the world.
What do flamingos eat?
Flamingos are filter feeders To feed they submerge their heads in the water, placing them between their legs. With the help of these and the beak they stir the sandy bottom causing the organic matter to enter their beak, then they close it and, pressing with the tongue, make the water come out, leaving the food trappedin some lamellae that have on the edge of the beak, in the shape of a comb.
The diet of flamingos is diverse and not very selective due to the way they feed. When they filter the water, flamingos can consume small aquatic organisms, such as insects, crustaceans, molluscs, worms, algae and protozoa.
Why are flamingos pink?
Of all the organisms that flamingos feed on, they can acquire pigments, but it is above all Artemia salina, which lends to this bird its pink color. This small crustacean lives in very brackish marshes, hence its name.
When the flamingo ingests them, during digestion, the pigments are metabolized so that they bind to fat molecules, traveling to the skin and from there, to the feathers when the molt occurs. This is how one of the most remarkable characteristics of the flamingos is produced. Baby flamingos do not turn pink until they molt into adult plumage.
On the other hand, it is known that male flamingos, during the mating season, extract a oil from their uropygial gland, located on the base of the tail, of a strong pink color and spread through the feathers in order to have a more attractive appearance for females.
Do you want to know where flamingos live? Then you can't miss our article on the habitat of flamingos in Spain.
