# American Flamingo (*Phoenicopterus ruber*) The American Flamingo is known for its bright pink feathers and long legs. They are social birds that like to hang out together. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas and wetlands - **Also known as:** Caribbean Flamingo ![American Flamingo](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426356/objects/4642.jpg) ## Appearance The American Flamingo is a large, vibrant pink or reddish bird with remarkably long legs and an S-shaped neck. It has a distinctive large, downward-curved beak with a black tip, making it easily recognizable from other wading birds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Phoenicopteriformes - **Family:** Phoenicopteridae - **Genus:** Phoenicopterus ## Interesting facts - A group of flamingos is called a "flamboyance," which describes them perfectly! - Flamingo chicks are born with dull gray feathers and gradually turn pink as they grow up! - They build tall, cone-shaped nests from mud to keep their precious egg safe and dry. - What looks like a flamingo's backward-bending knee is actually its ankle joint! ## Special abilities - **Upside-Down Eater:** American Flamingo can filter food with its head completely upside-down, using its specialized beak like a scoop. - **Feather Power-Up:** American Flamingo has bright pink feathers that come from pigments in its diet, showing how healthy it is. - **Built-in Balance:** American Flamingo can stand perfectly still on one leg for hours, helping it conserve energy and body heat. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 120-145 cm - **Wingspan:** 140-165 cm - **Weight:** 2.2-2.8 kg - **Lifespan:** 40-50 years - **Speed:** 56 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1 - **Incubation:** 28-32 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding These filter-feeders use their unique beaks to strain tiny plants and animals from the water. - **Age differences:** Chicks are fed 'crop milk' by parents, then transition to filter-feeding as they mature. - **Primary Foods:** brine shrimp, diatoms, algae, insect larvae, small insects - **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Brine Shrimp (*Artemia salina*) — A primary food source - **Eats:** Dunaliella Algae (*Dunaliella salina*) — Filters this microalga - **Symbiotic with:** [Brown Pelican](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-pelican) (*Pelecanus occidentalis*) — Nests near for protection - **Eaten by:** Feral Dog (*Canis familiaris*) — Can prey on eggs/chicks - **Depends on:** Humans (*Homo sapiens*) — Habitat relies on conservation ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify American Flamingo? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is American Flamingo? 120-145 cm ### What is American Flamingo's wingspan? 140-165 cm ### How much does American Flamingo weigh? 2.2-2.8 kg ### How long does American Flamingo live? 40-50 years ### How fast can American Flamingo move? 56 km/h ### What does American Flamingo eat? These filter-feeders use their unique beaks to strain tiny plants and animals from the water. ### Where is American Flamingo usually found? Coastal areas and wetlands ## Where to spot - [Birmingham Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/birmingham-zoo) — Alabama, US · Zoo - [Dallas World Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dallas-world-aquarium) — Texas, US · Aquarium - [Milwaukee County Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/milwaukee-county-zoo) — Wisconsin, US · Zoo - [ABQ BioPark Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abq-biopark-zoo) — New Mexico, US · Zoo - [Sarasota Jungle Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sarasota-jungle-gardens) — Florida, US · Zoo - [Stone Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/stone-zoo) — Massachusetts, US · Zoo [View all places to see American Flamingo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/american-flamingo) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [American Flamingo: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-flamingo)