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Flamingo

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American flamingos

The flamingo is a wading bird. There are 6 species, 4 in the New World and 2 in the Old World. The bird is found mostly in warm climates.

The flamingos are of different species: Greater flamingo, Lesser flamingo, Chilean flamingo, James's flamingo, Andean flamingo, and American flamingo.

Flamingos are either pink or white. Birds hatch with greyish reddish plumage, but adults range from light pink to bright red due to their diet. Pale flamingos may be ill or undernourished.

Flamingos wade through shallow water looking for food. They eat brine shrimp and green algae. Their beaks filter mud from their food.

The birds are very social, and live in groups sometimes numbering in the thousands. Living in large groups helps the birds to avoid predators and to make the best use of scarce nesting sites.

CAUTION: many flamingos that live in Kenya and Tanzania are dying. Scientists do not know why. They think it may be because of bacteria in the water.


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