American Flamingo Photo Gallery
Adult
A large, unmistakable wading bird with extremely long legs, a very long neck often held in an S-shape, and a thick, uniquely shaped bill. Adult has a bright pink head, neck, tail, and wings; paler pink upperparts; a pale yellow eye; and a tricolored bill, with a whitish base, pink midsection, and black tip.
© Doug Hommert / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, January 21, 2016Adult
Flies with neck fully outstretched. In flight, note the black trailing edge to the wings and intense pink “armpits.”
© Gregory Peterson / Macaulay LibraryAruba, May 15, 2016Adult
A brilliant pink bird with long legs and an exceptionally long, thin neck. Birds stride slowly through shallow water, head submerged, filtering crustaceans, mollusks, and other aquatic invertebrates from the water.
© Bryce Robinson / Macaulay LibraryGalápagos, April 06, 2023Not all videos have soundAdult
The unique bill is used to filter water for small aquatic invertebrates like crustaceans, mollusks, and insect larvae.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryYucatán, February 18, 2014Juvenile
Juvenile looks like a monochrome version of adult, patterned in white, gray, black, and brown. Legs are gray; bill is mostly gray with a black tip. Young birds acquire full adult plumage after about three years.
© Paulina Sabido / Macaulay LibraryQuintana Roo, October 07, 2016Flock
A highly social species, often occurring in large foraging flocks. In flight, long neck is fully outstretched.
© Jeff Ellerbusch / Macaulay LibraryLa Guajira, January 26, 2014Not all videos have soundFlock
A highly social species that forages in large flocks and frequently nests in huge colonies.
© Anonymous / Macaulay LibraryCuraçao, December 03, 2014Flock
Vocal birds give gooselike honks. Note striking black flight feathers when birds open their wings.
© Patrick Maurice / Macaulay LibraryGalápagos, November 12, 2023Not all videos have soundAdult
Feeding birds filter out small food items by using their large tongues to push water through comblike structures in their bills.
© Thore Noernberg / Macaulay LibraryAnzoátegui, September 13, 2022Not all videos have soundMore to Read
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