light pink plumage; long neck and legs (Zoo; 2008-10-21)


Chilean Flamingo
Phoenicopterus chilenis

Native Range: South America

Notes: formerly considered conspecific with similar American Flamingo and Greater Flamingo, but now afforded full-species status; breeds in temperate regions of South America; like all flamingos, has a large fleshy tongue that it uses to pump and filter water through its strongly bent bill.


flock (Zoo; 2008-10-21)

feeds by inverting its bill while filtering water (Zoo; 2008-10-21)
more black on the bill that American Flamingo (Zoo; 2008-10-21) some specimens are pinker than others (Zoo; 2011-12-21)
shows jet black against pink on the underwing (Zoo; 2011-12-21) the long neck is very flexible (Zoo; 2011-12-21)
they like to hang out in groups (Zoo; 2011-12-21) juvenile posing for a head portrait (Zoo; 2011-12-21)
they often do this brief wing display (Zoo; 2011-12-21) filter feeding; note also the webbed feet (Zoo; 2011-12-21)
hanging out together (Zoo; 2011-12-21) juvenile; grey rather than pink plumage (Zoo; 2011-12-21)
large flock of adults and juveniles (Zoo; 2011-12-21) lovely adult posing for a portrait (Zoo; 2011-12-21)