Why Are Flamingos Pink?
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Flamingos are a type of wading bird found throughout the Americas and Afro-Eurasia
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A group of flamingos is called a "flamboyance", a perfect term for these colourful-feathered birds
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Ever wondered why flamingos are pink? They are not pink at birth
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Young flamingos have grey or white feathers and develop their pinkish hue after a diet of brine shrimp and blue-green algae
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Flamingos tend to live in inhospitable, relatively remote wetlands and consume algae, which can be dangerous to many animals
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Due to their specialised metabolism, they are able to process these harmful chemicals in the liver, breaking them down into pigments
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These pigments eventually stain a flamingo's feathers. Their skin, mucous membranes, egg yolks and even fat are stained pink
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Interestingly, while flamingos are pink primarily due to the diet, their colour takes on a special significance during mating season
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Despite their size, flamingos can fly, but it takes them a little effort to take off
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