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Greater Flamingo German name(s): "Rosaflamingo"Size: 1.1-1.5 m; wing span 1.4-1.7 m Weight: 2-4 kg |
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Description
Classification
Distribution
Sightings
Photos
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
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 Click here for a physical description
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
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Click here for sighting information
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Photos |
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Lateral view of an adult Greater Flamingo
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Santa Giusta, Oristano, Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]
Greater Flamingos in shallow water
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Santa Giusta, Oristano, Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]
Greater Flamingos filter-feeding in a lagoon
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Santa Giusta, Oristano, Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]
Group of Greater Flamingos resting in shallow water
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2018]
Overview of a lagoon with Greater Flamingos and other aquatic species
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Santa Giusta, Oristano, Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]
Overview of salt works with a fair number of Greater Flamingos
(photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Kitros salt pit (Aliki Kitrous), Greece, September 2017]
Near-dorsal view of Greater Flamingos in flight
- this comparison shows what influence light
conditions can have on the appearance of a bird
(photos courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, April/June 2019]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of Greater Flamingos in flight
- the bird at the left is an adult, the others are sub-adult
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Adult Greater Flamingo, back, with a bird close to reaching maturity
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Ribeira das Enguias, Alcochete, Setubal, Portugal, March 2020]
Three phases of the plumage
of Greater Flamingos in one photo: first-year immature, second from
the right, adult, second from the left, and 1+ year old immature,
far left; Pied Avocet
in the foreground (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Santa Giusta, Oristano, Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]
Near-dorsal view of second-year immature Greater Flamingos
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2018]
Lateral view of a second-year immature Greater Flamingo at full stretch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Charca do Prates, Arraiolos, Evora, Portugal, October 2020]
Second-year immature Greater Flamingo banking to land
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2018]
Frontal view of a first-year immature Greater Flamingo;
Pied Avocet
in the foreground (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Santa Giusta, Oristano, Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]
Lateral view of a first-year immature Greater Flamingo
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2018]
Dorsal view of a first-year immature Greater Flamingo
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas do Forte do Rato, Tavira, Algarve, Portugal, September 2020]
First-year immature Greater Flamingo, front left, filter-feeding in
a lagoon, with an adult on the right and a 1+ year old in the
background (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Santa Giusta, Oristano, Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]
Greater Flamingo rookery
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Charca do Prates, Arraiolos, Evora, Portugal, October 2020]
First-year immature Greater Flamingos overwintering in an estuary
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, February 2018]
Size comparison of adult Greater Flamingos, first-year immatures and
Spoonbills
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, October 2015]
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Breeding information |
| Breeding season: ? | Eggs: 1 | Incubation period: 27 - 31 days | Fledging age: 63 - 91 days |
In 2021, Greater Flamingos were first officially observed to be breeding in Portugal. The photos below show that in 2020 they have at least already been mating in the Tejo estuary.
For Greater Flamingos mating is a high altitude balancing act
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2020]
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Behaviour |
Greater Flamingos tend to form very large flocks
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2020]
Greater Flamingos can often be seen feeding in formation
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, February 2018]
Adult Greater Flamingos resting together
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sado estuary, Zambujal, Palmela, Portugal, August 2020]
Greater Flamingos tend to roost in groups; it is somewhat
awkward to stow away such a long neck...
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcochete, Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2019]
Greater Flamingos do many things collectively, including preening
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]
Greater Flamingos do many things collectively, here wading
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas da Fuzeta, Olhao, Faro, Portugal, October 2020]
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Food, Diet |
Greater Flamingos use their bills turned upside down to filter shrimp, seeds, blue-green algae, microscopic organisms and mollusks out of shallow brackish water that they disturb with their feet.
Lateral view of two adult Greater Flamingos filter-feeding in a lagoon;
the lower mandible is fixed, while the upper mandible is moved up and
down (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Santa Giusta, Oristano, Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]
Greater Flamingos filter-feeding with their heads completely under water
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, February 2018]
Greater Flamingos filter-feeding with their heads completely under water
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas do Brito, Alcochete, Setubal, Portugal, October 2020]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement 
are welcome.
| grtflam_dw_20170315.m4a | (Canary Islands) | Contact calls(?) | © DW | |
| grtflam_jp_20200720.m4a | (Portugal) | Various | © JP |
More Greater Flamingo sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.