The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus): The Iconic Wader
The Greater Flamingo is a gregarious bird, famous for its unique color and elegant silhouette.
Elegance on Stilts
Have you ever come across a Pink Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) and just had to stop in your tracks? This bird is truly nature's showstopper! With those impossibly long, slender legs and that stunning pink color that seems almost too perfect to be real, it's like encountering a living masterpiece. In the Camargue wetlands of France, these graceful creatures take center stage like ballet dancers performing in the great outdoors.
But here's the twist – behind all that breathtaking beauty is an amazing survival tale. These birds are not just a pretty sight; they're brilliantly adapted to thrive in some of the toughest environments on Earth. The catch? Their very survival depends on these fragile wetland ecosystems, which could vanish quicker than we'd like to admit.
Greater Flamingo Fact Sheet
Scientific Name: Phoenicopterus roseus
Height: 110 to 150 cm (3.6 to 4.9 ft)
Wingspan: 140 to 170 cm (4.6 to 5.6 ft)
Weight: 2 to 4 kg (4.4 to 8.8 lbs)
Diet: Crustaceans (brine shrimp), algae, insects
Lifespan: Up to 40 years in the wild
IUCN Status: Least Concern (LC)
Distribution: Southern Europe, Africa, Middle East, India
Scientific Dimensions and Records (Greater Flamingo)
Characteristic
Male
Female
Record / Average
Length
120 – 150 cm
110 – 140 cm
110 – 150 cm (up to 187 cm for the largest males)
Weight
2.7 – 4 kg
2.1 – 3.5 kg
2 – 4 kg (adults)
Wingspan
140 – 170 cm
140 – 170 cm
140 – 170 cm (adults)
Diet
Omnivore
Omnivore
Aquatic invertebrates (crustaceans, mollusks, insects), algae, small fish
Life Expectancy
30 – 40 years
30 – 40 years
30 – 40 years (in the wild), up to 60 years or more (in captivity)
These figures confirm that the Greater Flamingo is a majestic large wading bird, characterized by its distinctive plumage and filter-feeding bill, thriving in the salty wetlands of Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Our Ornithologist's Tip
By the Les-Oiseaux.com team, published on June 20, 2025.
My personal tip: For an unforgettable experience, visit the Camargue in spring. This is the nesting season, and you can witness the collective courtship displays—a fascinating spectacle where hundreds of birds march and turn their heads in perfect synchrony. Use binoculars to spot the fluffy gray chicks in the crèches, closely watched by a few adults while the other parents are off feeding. It’s a magical moment!
🪶 Passionate about the Pink Flamingo?
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Identifying the Greater Flamingo
The adult Greater Flamingo is easy to identify. It is a large wading bird (1.10 m to 1.50 m or 3.6 to 4.9 ft tall) with a pale pink body, bright pinkish-red wing-coverts, and black primary and secondary flight feathers, which are clearly visible when it spreads its wings. Its neck is long and sinuous, and its legs are pink. Its beak is unique: large, bent downwards, and pink with a distinct black tip.
Be aware that juveniles look very different. They are born gray, and their plumage remains grayish or whitish for the first few years, with the pink color appearing only gradually.
Not to be confused with...
Grey Crowned Crane
Although it also frequents wetlands, the Grey Crowned Crane has mostly grey plumage, a striking black and white head, and a unique crest of golden feathers. Its bill is short and grey, very different from the flamingo's.
This wader has entirely white plumage and black legs. Its most distinctive feature is its long, black bill with a yellow, spoon-shaped tip, which is very different from the flamingo's curved beak.
This is the question everyone asks! Contrary to popular belief, a flamingo is not born pink. Its color comes exclusively from its diet. The bird's white or gray plumage is tinted by carotenoid pigments (similar to those that give carrots or tomatoes their color) found in the algae and crustaceans it consumes.
The primary source of this color is a small pink shrimp called Artemia salina (brine shrimp), which itself feeds on microscopic algae rich in these pigments. By filtering the water to eat these shrimp, the flamingo accumulates the pigments in its body, which then color its feathers, skin, and legs. Without this specific diet, a flamingo would remain white!
It is through feeding that the flamingo acquires the color that makes it so famous.
A Filter-Feeding Beak, a Marvel of Engineering
To feed, the Greater Flamingo uses its beak in a very particular way. It plunges it into the water upside down, then uses its tongue like a pump to suck in water and mud. The beak is equipped with fine plates called lamellae, similar to a whale's baleen, which act as a comb. These lamellae trap small organisms (crustaceans, insects, algae) while expelling the water. This is a remarkable adaptation that allows it to exploit a very specific ecological niche.
Calls and Vocalizations: A Chorus of Honks
Far from being silent, the Greater Flamingo is a very noisy bird, especially when in a group. Communication is constant within the colonies. Their calls are a kind of nasal honking and grunting, which can sound like geese from a distance. This soundscape is characteristic of large flamingo gatherings.
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Reproduction and Life Cycle
Greater Flamingos are monogamous birds that nest in dense colonies. They build a cone-shaped nest out of mud, which can be up to 30 cm (12 in) high to protect the egg from heat and flooding. The female lays a single white egg. Incubation lasts between 27 and 31 days and is shared by both parents. Once hatched, the chick is fed a nutrient-rich "crop milk" produced by the parents. After a few days, the young gather in large "crèches" supervised by a few adults.
Habitat and Distribution: Where to See Flamingos
The Greater Flamingo lives in vast, shallow, saline, or brackish bodies of water: coastal lagoons, salt pans, deltas, and salt marshes. It needs large areas for feeding and isolated islets for nesting, safe from predators.
In France, the most iconic site is undoubtedly the Camargue, which hosts the country's only breeding colony and one of the largest in the Mediterranean. They can also be seen in the lagoons of the Languedoc coast. Elsewhere, they are found in Spain, Italy, Africa, and as far as India.
Distribution Map
Symbolism and Cultural Significance
With its flamboyant color and graceful demeanor, the flamingo is a powerful symbol of beauty, balance, and sociability. In ancient Egypt, it was associated with the sun god, Ra. Today, it is the undisputed emblem of the Camargue, representing the richness and fragility of its wetlands. Its image is often used in popular culture to evoke exoticism, self-confidence, and joie de vivre.
Conservation Status
The Greater Flamingo is listed as "Least Concern" (LC) by the IUCN because its global populations are large. However, the species is very sensitive to the quality of its habitat. Pollution, coastal development, and human disturbance at nesting sites are serious threats to its long-term survival. The protection of wetlands is therefore essential.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do flamingos sleep on one leg?
This posture is thought to reduce muscle fatigue and body heat loss. They have a "locking mechanism" in their joints that allows them to maintain their balance without muscular effort, even while sleeping.
Why do flamingos stand on one leg?
In addition to helping them sleep, standing on one leg is primarily a way to conserve body heat. Legs are a major source of heat loss, so tucking one up into their warm feathers helps them stay warm, especially when standing in cold water.
Can you have a flamingo as a pet?
No, absolutely not. The Greater Flamingo is a protected wild species. Keeping one is illegal and, in any case, impossible for a private individual, as its needs for space, diet, and social life are incompatible with domestic captivity.
