Flamingos live in large colonies around shallow bodies of water. Their long legs not only allow them to wade into deeper water, but also help regulate body temperature. When resting on one leg, a special system of tendons and joints locks into place, allowing them to maintain this position for hours with almost no muscular effort.
Using their curved bills, flamingos filter small crustaceans and algae from the water. As the tongue pumps water out, fine comb-like structures called lamellae act as a sieve and trap food particles. Their pink plumage comes from carotenoid pigments in their diet. For breeding, flamingos build cone-shaped mud nests that help protect their eggs from flooding.
Distribution area: South America
Feature: grey legs with strongly red colored intersal joints
Distribution area: Europe (Atlantic coast, Mediterranean coasts and some Mediterranean islands)
Feature: largest flamingo species, legs of adult birds pink, pink beak with black tip.
