Search

Identification

Genus and Species

Phoenicopterus ruber

Order; Family

Ciconiiformes; Phoenicopteridae

Description

Flamingo with yellow leg band. © Jessie Cohen
Male and female American flamingos are alike in plumage. Their characteristic pink and crimson coloration is unmistakable. The primary feathers are black. They have three front toes that are webbed, in addition to a hind toe. Males are taller and weigh more than females. They also have longer bills and wider wing spans.

Flamingos have 17 elongated cervical vertebrae that permit them to feed in deep water. The bill is curved and uniquely adapted for filter feeding tiny organisms out of the water.

Flamingos at the National Zoo are banded with numbered plastic yellow bands for individual identification.

Similar species

The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is most similar to the American flamingo. Some authorities regard the two species as one, with two subspecies. The greater flamingo is similar in size to the American flamingo, but is not as brilliantly pink.

World distribution

The American flamingo can be found in the Caribbean, Bahamas, Cuba, northern South America, and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. There is a small population on the Galapagos Islands.

Previous page Next page
Share