A group of Flamingos by the entrance of the Zoo in Melbourne FL
Flamingo portrait
The American Flamingo breeds in the Galapagos Islands, coastal Colombia and Venezuela and nearby islands, the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, and in the northern Caribbean in the Bahamas, Hispaniola, Cuba and Turks and Caicos. Most sightings in southern Florida are usually considered to be escapees, although at least one bird banded as a chick in the Yucatán Peninsula has been sighted in Everglades National Park, and others may be genuine wanderers from Cuba.
Its preferred habitats are similar to that of its relatives: saline lagoons, mudflats, and shallow brackish coastal or inland lakes. Like all flamingos, it lays a single chalky white egg on a mud mound, between May and August; incubation until hatching takes from 28 to 32 days; both parents brood the young for a period of up to 6 years when they reach sexual maturity. Their life expectancy of 40 years is one of the longest in birds.
The American Flamingo is 120–140 cm in length; males weigh 2.8 kg and females 2.2 kg. Most of its plumage is pink, giving rise to its earlier name of Rosy Flamingo and differentiating adults from the much paler Greater Flamingo. The wing coverts are red, and the primary and secondary flight feathers are black. It is the only flamingo which naturally inhabits North America.
The bill is pink and white with a restricted black tip, and the legs are entirely pink. The call is a goose-like honking.
The American Flamingo is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
Hi my friends,
I promised you yesterday some bird photos... here they are.... and there will be some more coming :) I hope you like them. I captured them by my recent visit to the Zoo in Melbourne, FL.
Thanks for all the comments yesterday to my new avatar :) don't take it too serious... I've decided not to look in the mirror anymore in the morning...*smile*... to keep my illusion to be still "young and beautiful"...LOL...
Have a wonderful day!
Susanne
Buy my photography printed, framed or stretched on Canvas here
20 comments:
I like the flamingos framed by the water spray. Cool!
An Arkies Musings
Thanks for stopping by Richie! Glad you liked my photo :)
Such elegant birds! I love to watch them standing effortlessly, on one leg.
Indeed they are elegant, Marty! Thanks for commenting :)
Hi Susanne,
really wonderful photos!
;-)
The colour of the flamigos is so beautiful and you have captured them so well.
Ich danke dir, liebe Yvi. :)
Thanks Carol, glad you liked them too. :)
Stunning photo...that closeup is wonderful. Aren't they just the most amazing birds EVER??? I haven't seen any down here in Florida on this trip, but I sure love seeing them in person!
Hi Joan,
living now more than 10 years in FL I never ever have seen Flamingos in the wild, only in Zoos.
Thanks for commenting, glad you liked it.
Flamingo portrait is wonderfull!
Thank you so much, George!
Flamingos are one of my favorite birds. Every time I go to the zoo I stop by the flamingos and take pictures. Their coloring is so unique, and they are so photogenic
This was the first Zoo I could go that close to them. Yes, they are very photogenic, I agree.
Thanks for the comment, nice to see you on my blog again :)
Gorgeous birds captured beautifully in their full elegance, I'd love to see one in person but unfortunately even the zoo's here in Scotland are too cold for them!
Thank you so much for your kind comment, Ryan. Nice to see new faces visiting my blog :)
The red is very fascinating. You are lucky flamingos, equipped with such beautiful color on your feather. You have to Syukran more to the Creator.
Wonderful photo Sue.
Thanks for the comment Rad :) Nice to see you visiting again.
Beautiful flamingo photo, I love their colors. Anna :)
Glad you liked my Flamingos, Anna :)
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