The American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is the only flamingo species native to North America, but is rarely...

Originally shared by Dins Barnett

The American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is the only flamingo species native to North America, but is rarely seen in the United States anymore. It is generally more brightly colored than the Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) that inhabits the coasts of Africa, Asia, and southern Europe. Its bill matches well with the rest of the body which is also pink and white in color. The very tip of it though exhibits a black color.

Flamingos are tropical wading birds that have long legs with backward-bending knees, long curvy necks, and most noticeably, they are pink. Adult flamingos are four to five feet tall, but only weigh between four and eight pounds. That’s the kind of astonishing body density (or lack of) needed for flight. The color pink comes from beta-carotene in the crustaceans and plankton that flamingos eat. Zoo flamingos will turn white if their diet is not supplemented with live shrimp or flamingo chow containing carotenoid pigments. The feathers under their wings (flight feathers) are black. You only see them when the birds are flying.

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