Belinda 2021

LESSER FLAMINGO

This research paper features the Lesser Flamingo within its natural environment. The flamingo birds are a family of Phoenicopteridae minor being the only member of this scientific bird family. They are found in sub-Sahara Africa and northwestern India. It’s the smallest flamingo.

They have a lifespan up to 20-30 years reaching full maturity within 2 years. Baby is a flaminglet, female is a hen and a male is a flamingo. They have a tall large body long neck and small head. Height is 80-90cm, wing span 90-105cm. Its pink colouring is caused by the Beta Carotene in their diet. They lay a single egg which is incubated for 28 days with both parents on duty.

Is it an endangered species? YES. This is due to degradation of its specialised habitat through altered hydrology and water quality, wetland pollution, extraction of salt and soda ash, and disruption of its few breeding colonies by human activities.

They live in colonies up to 20,000 with an average being 50-100 members. They are generally non-migratory birds however due to environmental changes they are not always permanent dwellers. Predators are lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, pythons, wild pigs and humans. They find safety in numbers helping them to protect individual birds while their heads are down feeding.

They feed on algae and diatoms which produce long-change fatty acids. Diatoms are important source of energy rich molecules that are food for zooplankton, aquatic insects, fish, flamingos and whales. They place their beaks upside down in the water taking in mouthfuls of both water and food. They use their tongues to suck water in at the front of their bill and pump it out through the sides.

I have chosen this animal for its beauty, its grace and its magnificence.