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Greater Flamingo![]() Size: 1.1-1.5 m; wing span 1.4-1.7 m Weight: 2-4 kg |
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Similar |
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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 |
All 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]
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]
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]
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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Behaviour |
Greater Flamingos can often be seen feeding in formation
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, February 2018]
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]
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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]
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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 |
More Greater Flamingo sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.