Baby Flamingos: Everything You Need To Know (with Pictures)

The flamingo is a wading bird known for its striking pink plumage, slender legs, S-shaped neck, and thick, fingertip-pointing beak.they are part of the family Pteridae. But what do we know about their children? In this article, we’ve rounded up some of the most frequently asked questions about lesser flamingos.

What does a lesser flamingo look like?

The word flamingo comes from the Portuguese/Spanish word “flamengo,” which translates to flame color and best describes the striking pink plumage of adult flamingos. However, newly hatched flamingo chicks aren’t born as you’d expect, with the beautiful, vibrant plumage of their adult counterparts, but soft gray or white down. The fluffy down provides enough insulation to keep the chicks cozy and warm.

Newly hatched flamingos have red/pink short, straight beaks. The bill lacks the distinct color-blocking of its elders’ beaks. Their legs are thick, swollen and pink. Swelling begins to decrease 48 hours after hatching. Seven to 10 days after hatching, the beak and legs will turn black. At about 11 weeks of age, the chicks’ beaks gradually begin to curve downward.

little flamingo and mother

How big is a lesser flamingo?

A newly hatched flamingo chick is about the size of a tennis ball (with legs).

Female flamingos usually lay one large egg, rarely two. The eggs are chalky in color, oval in shape and slightly larger than large eggs. They range in size from 78mm x 49mm / 90mm x 55mm long and weigh between 115 and 140 grams.

How much does a lesser flamingo weigh?

Chicks take 27 to 31 days to hatch. The average weight of a newly hatched hatchling is between 73 and 90 grams (2.5 – 3.2 oz).

What do juvenile flamingos look like?

Juvenile flamingos look very different from their elders. Instead of the bright reddish-pink structured plumage, pink legs, and large, distinctive beak of adults, juveniles have fluffy gray plumage, black legs, and off-white beak. The eye color of juveniles is usually gray, which is also different from that of adults. Young birds mature at around three to five years old and usually develop pink plumage within the first few years after hatching.

Depending on the flamingo species, primary and secondary feathers, coverts, legs, beak, and eye color can vary when the bird is fully mature.

juvenile flamingo

What is the name of the lesser flamingo?

The term for a newly hatched flamingo is chick, chick, or just hatched flamingo. However, some have suggested that “flaminglet” is a better description for them!

What do lesser flamingos eat?

At first, flamingo chicks are fed only “crop milk” by both parents. Both parents produce crop milk in the lining of the upper digestive tract. “Milk” is rich in fat and protein and is bright red in color. Unlike mammalian milk, it is a semisolid substance resembling pale yellow cheese. Emperor penguins, wood pigeons and pigeons are some other birds that produce milk from crops.

Chicks are able to feed themselves at about 4 to 6 weeks of age, but can still get food from their parents at 10 to 12 weeks until they develop their wings.

How do flamingos feed their babies?

Both parents regurgitate a liquid called “crop milk” into the newborn’s mouth. They do this for four to six weeks, or until the chicks’ beaks are long enough to filter solid food.

Lesser flamingos being fed by their parents

When can lesser flamingos fly?

Lesser flamingos develop flight feathers about 11 weeks after hatching. They usually start flying when they are two to three months old. Rather than teaching them to fly, the lesser flamingo’s parents made multiple attempts at flight until they succeeded.

How long have the lesser flamingos been in the nest?

Lesser flamingos will remain on the nest for 5 to 12 days after hatching.

When they are strong enough and able to walk, they usually leave the nest after four to seven days. Chicks will explore their surroundings under the attentive care of their parents before returning to the nest to feed.

A flamingo’s nest is like a mound of dirt with a shallow hole at the top. It can reach a height of 30 cm and can take up to six weeks to complete. Feathers, twigs, stones, and dirt are some of the items that adult birds use to build their nests. After the female lays eggs, both parents take turns guarding and keeping them warm for 27 to 31 days until chicks hatch.

How long will little flamingos stay with their parents?

After about five days, the chicks leave the nest to join small flocks of other lesser flamingos and return to their parents to feed. The parent bird can identify the chick by its call, thanks to the vocalizations that the chick makes hours before it hatches to establish a bond between the parent and the chick.

About three weeks after hatching, the adults divide the chicks into large groups called nurseries. Young birds are cared for by several adults and fed only by the parents. Chicks will begin to find food on their own within the safety of the group. Lesser flamingos develop their feathers when they are 10 to 12 weeks old.

baby american flamingo

When do lesser flamingos turn pink?

Young flamingos turn pink within a few years of birth. Adult flamingos get their pink or reddish plumage, legs and face color from eating foods rich in alpha and beta carotenoid pigments, including canthaxanthin. Algae and small invertebrates (insects, crustaceans and molluscs) make up the bulk of their diet. Birds may lose some color and become pale if food sources are insufficient.

When Can Flamingos Breed?

Flamingos appear to be monogamous and begin mating around the age of six. These birds put on large courtship displays within their colonies to attract mates. The courtship ritual is mainly initiated by the male bird and involves marching, grooming and head turning.

What color is the poop of a baby flamingo?

Flamingo poop is the same color as other birds’ poop – off-white. However, the poop color of very young flamingos may appear orange because they live on the yolk of the egg before hatching.