For Some Species, You Really Are What You Eat Flamingos, shrimp and many other animals use chemical compounds found in their diets to color their exteriors They are distinguished from other species of Flamingo by having a pale yellow beak with extensive black tip, and are the only species to have yellow legs and webbed feet. They cannot swim in water that is shallow, however. The Greater Flamingo is classed as ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN. The webbed feet of Andean flamingos assist them to swim and maneuver in soft mud. Can Flamingos fly? Did you know that the flamingo's pink color is associated with its diet? The right food can even dye humans - especially babies. A flamingo's diet plays a major role in its appearance and other habits. Flamingos are a pink or red color because of the carotenoid pigments that are found in the food that they eat. They are distinguished from other species of Flamingo by having a pale yellow beak with extensive black tip, and are the only species to have yellow legs and webbed feet. The Caribbean flamingos, which are a subspecies of greater flamingo, have the brightest colors, with vibrant red, pink and orange on their faces, bills and legs. 12. … So, you typically find deeply-colored pink and orange flamingos in the Caribbean, yet pale pink flamingos in drier habitats, like Lake Nakuru in Kenya. How Do Flamingos Eat? Flamingo, (order Phoenicopteriformes), any of six species of tall, pink wading birds with thick downturned bills. The most amazing bird facts on the internet for kids along with pictures, videos, diet and habitat. Back when, i read that Auckland zoo used food colouring on its flamingos, as the red brine shrimps were not available. August 25, 2016. iStock. What do flamingos eat is a difficult question to deal with since these birds possess unique style of feeding mainly due to their unusual physical structure.Like any other bird, flamingos also need some healthy nutrients that should foster their strength as well as ability to flee when fish-eagle shows aggression. Flamingo who aren’t breeding tend to follow a nocturnal feeding schedule, they feed at night, whereas breeding flamingos will eat at day or night or both. The James' flamingo has about 21 lamellae per cm (53 per in.). Andean Flamingo: The Andean Flamingo has a pale pink plumage with darker pink upperparts, neck, breast, wing coverts, and black primary flight feathers. The Flamingos get most of their food by filtering out the mud and water in their bills to eat insects and crustaceans like shrimp. Neither would the color of salmon, or koi. They do not turn pink for a year or two. The Chilean flamingo has about 5 to 6 lamellae per cm (13-15 per in.). August 25, 2016. iStock. Flamingos are in fact pink because they eat shrimps, which contain a red pigment. For once the old man leveled with you. Despite being relatively tall, flamingos are good swimmers. Andean Flamingo: The Andean Flamingo has a pale pink plumage with darker pink upperparts, neck, breast, wing coverts, and black primary flight feathers. What do they eat? 13. Learn about the birds and its different types Flamingo chicks are born with grey and white feathers. I confess this knowledge causes me some distress, because it reinforces the cartoon view of the universe, which I learned at an early age to distrust.