Állat
Chilean flamingo
Pink feathers, a filtering bill and the social life of a South American bird.
A tartalom nyelve
Warsaw's flamingos are Chilean flamingos, a species native to South America. In the wild they feed in shallow lakes and lagoons. Their long legs allow them to wade through the water and reach food beneath its surface.
While feeding, a flamingo turns its bill upside down. It pumps water through small plates called lamellae, which trap tiny organisms. Invertebrates, including crustaceans and molluscs, form an important part of the Chilean flamingo's diet. The shape of the bill and the movement of water work together to separate food from its surroundings.
Pink colouring comes from food. Carotenoid pigments enter the body through the diet and affect the colour of the feathers. Warsaw's birds receive feed containing these pigments, so the intensity of their colour is connected to what they eat.
Flamingos live in flocks, communicating through calls and body movements. Group displays include stretching their necks, turning their heads and marching together. Their nest is a raised mound of mud with a hollow for a single egg. This structure keeps the egg above the water and away from hot ground.
Gyerekeknek
A flamingo's pink colour begins with its food. Tiny aquatic organisms contain pigments called carotenoids. When the bird eats them, these pigments affect the colour of its feathers. Warsaw's flamingos also receive specially prepared food. They are Chilean flamingos, whose wild relatives live in South America.
Their bill works a little like a sieve. The bird lowers its head, turns its bill upside down and passes water through it. Tiny plates hold back the food while the water flows out. Long legs help it wade through shallow water.
Flamingos enjoy the company of other flamingos. They can march together and make similar head movements. To raise a chick, the parents build a mound of mud. A hollow at the top holds the egg. Their nest looks like a little muddy hill rather than a basket of twigs.
Kérdés: 1/2
What directly affects the pink colour of a flamingo's feathers?
- Elhelyezkedés
- Chilean flamingo - location on the zoo map.