Phoenicopterus minor
Lesser flamingoes live in brackish or salty lakes and lagoons in southern Africa. They are not as brightly colored as the Caribbean flamingo, but they still have the light pink feathers with black feathers on their wings. Like all flamingos, the Lesser flamingo has webbed feet, but unlike the Andean and James' flamingos, it has a hind toe called a "hallux". Flamingos have a very poor sense of taste and no sense of smell.
Flamingos get their beautiful orange-pink color from the crustaceans they eat. In zoos they are usually fed substances which contain special dyes in order to retain their color, or else they would turn white!
The above picture was taken at the Louisville zoo, in May 2001.
Family Phoenicopteridae
Order Ciconiiformes
Class Aves
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
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