Greater flamingo

Greater Flamingo
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Phoenicopteriformes
Family:	Phoenicopteridae
Genus:	Phoenicopterus
Species:	P. roseus
Binomial name
Phoenicopterus roseus Pallas, 1811
Synonyms
Phoenicopterus antiquorum

The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia (coastal regions of Pakistan and India) and southern Europe (including Spain, Sardinia, Albania, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, and the Camargue region of France). Some populations are short distance migrants, and records north of the breeding range are relatively frequent; however, given the species' popularity in captivity whether these are truly wild individuals is a matter of some debate. A single bird was seen on North Keeling Island (Cocos (Keeling) Islands) in 1988. Greater flamingo is the state bird of Gujarat, India.

This is the largest species of flamingo, averaging 110–150 cm (43–60 in) tall and weighing 2–4 kg (4.4-8.8 lbs). The largest male flamingoes have been recorded at up to 187 cm (74 in) tall and 4.5 kg (10 lbs).. It is closely related to the American Flamingo and Chilean Flamingo, with which it is has sometimes been considered conspecific, but that treatment is now widely seen (e.g. by the American and British Ornithologists' Union) as incorrect and based on a lack of evidence.

Like all flamingos, this species lays a single chalky-white egg on a mud mound.

Most of the plumage is pinkish-white, but the wing coverts are red and the primary and secondary flight feathers are black.

The bill is pink with a restricted black tip, and the legs are entirely pink. The call is a goose-like honking.

Lifespan

The oldest known greater flamingo, a resident of the Adelaide Zoo in Australia, is at least 75 years old. The bird's exact age is not known; however, he was already a mature adult when he arrived in Adelaide in 1933, and he is still there as of 2010.

In Captivity

Flamingo colony at Zoo Basel

The first recorded zoo hatch was in 1959 at Zoo Basel. In Zoo Basels breeding program over 400 birds hatched with an average between 20 to 27 since the year 2000 .

Due to Basel's breeding success, most hatched flamingos cannot be kept in the zoo and are given to zoos around the world. Given the history and the amount of birds hatched in Basel since 1959, it can be concluded that most Greater flamingo zoo colonies around the world are related to the one at Zoo Basel.

Gallery

• 
  after taking off at Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• 
  calling at Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• 
  feeding at Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• 
  in flight at Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• 
  landing at Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• 
  scape at Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
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  Taking off at Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• 
  Greater Flamingoes at Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
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  Greater Flamingoes at Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• 
  Ras al Khor Bird Sanctuary, Dubai

External links

• Flamingo Resource Centre - a collection of resources and information related to flamingos
• Greater Flamingo videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection
• Performing Greater Flamingos in open field