Animal Guide

Lesser Flamingo

23 destinations · 13 states

Native Range: Eastern and southern Africa, with smaller populations in South Asia

Lesser flamingos can turn a shallow pool into a constantly moving flock. Watch closely and you'll see hundreds of small actions happening at once: birds wading, feeding, preening, calling, and suddenly taking flight together. Their deep pink to rosy plumage comes largely from the pigments in their food, especially the algae and tiny organisms they filter from the water. During feeding, a lesser flamingo often keeps its head upside down and sweeps its specially shaped bill through the shallows, filtering food as it goes. At a zoo or wildlife destination, the flock can also be fun to watch when several birds synchronize their movements or react to one another. They are smaller and more slender than greater flamingos, with a darker bill that makes them easy to distinguish at close range. Native mainly to eastern and southern Africa, lesser flamingos are strongly associated with alkaline and saline lakes.

Lesser Flamingo

Where to see Lesser Flamingo

23 destinations across 13 states

23 destinations

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