Greater flamingo

2017-04-02T16:48:53Z

Dhaval Vargiya: /* Gallery */

{{taxobox
| name = Greater flamingo
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{IUCN|id=22697360 |title=''Phoenicopterus roseus'' |assessor=BirdLife International |assessor-link=BirdLife International |version=2013.2 |year=2012 |accessdate=26 November 2013}}</ref>
| image = Flamant rose Salines de Thyna.jpg
| image_caption = Male
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordata]]
| classis = [[bird|Aves]]
| ordo = [[Phoenicopteriformes]]
| familia = [[Phoenicopteridae]]
| genus = ''[[Phoenicopterus]]''
| species = '''''P. roseus'''''
| binomial = ''Phoenicopterus roseus''
| binomial_authority = [[Peter Simon Pallas|Pallas]], 1811
| synonyms = ''Phoenicopterus antiquorum''
}}
The '''greater flamingo''' (''Phoenicopterus roseus'') is the most widespread [[species]] of the [[flamingo]] family. It is found in [[Africa]], on the [[Indian subcontinent]], in the [[Middle East]] and southern [[Europe]].

==Description==
This is the largest species of flamingo, averaging {{convert|110|–|150|cm|in|abbr=on}} tall and weighing {{convert|2|–|4|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. The largest male flamingos have been recorded at up to {{convert|187|cm|in|abbr=on}} tall and {{convert|4.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Greater flamingo|url=http://en.tourduvalat.org/content/download/7378/73859/version/2/file/All+About+Greater+Flamingo.pdf}}</ref> It is closely related to the [[American flamingo]] and [[Chilean flamingo]], with which it has sometimes been considered [[Conspecificity|conspecific]].

Like all flamingos, this species lays a single chalky-white [[bird egg|egg]] on a mud mound. Most of the [[plumage]] is pinkish white, but the wing coverts are red and the primary and secondary flight [[feather]]s are black. The [[beak|bill]] is pink with a restricted black tip, and the legs are entirely pink. The call is a goose-like honking.

Sub-adult flamingos are whitish grey and only attain the pink coloration several years into their adult life. The coloration comes from the [[Carotenoid|carotenoid pigments]] in the organisms that live in their feeding grounds.
Secretions of the [[uropygial gland]] also contain carotenoids. During the breeding season, greater flamingos increase the frequency of their spreading uropygial secretions over their feathers and thereby enhance their color. This cosmetic use of uropygial secretions has been described as applying "make-up".<ref name="Amat">{{cite journal|author=Amat, J.A.|author2=Rendón, M.A.|author3=Garrido-Fernández, J.|author4=Garrido, A.|author5=Rendón-Martos, M.|author6=Pérez-Gálvez, A.|last-author-amp=yes|year=2011|title=Greater flamingos Phoenicopterus roseus use uropygial secretions as make-up|journal=Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology|volume=65|issue=4|pages=665–673}}</ref>

The bird resides in [[mudflat]]s and shallow coastal [[lagoon]]s with salt water. Using its feet, the bird stirs up the mud, then sucks water through its bill and filters out small [[shrimp]], seeds, [[blue-green algae]], microscopic organisms and [[mollusk]]s. The greater flamingo feeds with its head down and its upper jaw is movable and not rigidly fixed to its skull.<ref name="stanford-flamingo">{{cite web |title=Flamingo Feeding |publisher=Stanford University |url=http://www.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Flamingo_Feeding.html |accessdate=11 March 2013}}</ref>

==Distribution==
[[File:Greater flamingos at Kutch.jpg|thumb|Greater flamingos breeds at Kutch]]
It is found in parts of [[Africa]], southern Asia ([[Bangladesh]] and coastal regions of [[Pakistan]], [[India]], and [[Sri Lanka]]), the [[Middle East]] ([[Turkey]], [[Israel]], [[Lebanon]], [[Kuwait]]) and southern [[Europe]] (including [[Spain]], [[Albania]], [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]], [[Greece]], [[Cyprus]], [[Portugal]], [[Italy]] and the [[Camargue]] region of [[France]]). The most northern breeding spot is the [[Vreden|Zwillbrocker Venn]] in Western Germany, close to the border with the Netherlands.
In [[Gujarat]], a state of India, flamingos can be observed at the [[Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary]], [[Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary]], [[Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary#Flamingo City|Flamingo City]] and in the [[Thol Bird Sanctuary]]. They remain here during entire winter season.<ref>Koshti A.J. and Bony L.S (2016). "Ethology of greater flamingo in captivity", Undergradute thesis submitted to St.Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, India.</ref>

==Lifespan==
The average lifespan in captivity, according to [[Zoo Basel]], is over 60 years.

==Relationship with humans==
===Captivity===
The first recorded zoo hatch was in 1959 at [[Zoo Basel]]. In [[Breeding programs at Zoo Basel|Zoo Basel's breeding program]] over 400 birds have been hatched with an average of between 20 and 27 per year since 2000.<ref>{{cite web |title=Zolli feiert 50 Jahre Flamingozucht und Flamingosforschung |trans_title=50 years of flamingo breeding |publisher=Basler Zeitung |date=13 August 2008 |language=German |url=http://bazonline.ch/basel/dossier/zoo-basel/Zolli-feiert-50-Jahre-Flamingozucht-und-Flamingosforschung/story/26419827 |accessdate=21 March 2010}}</ref> The [[Greater (flamingo)|oldest known greater flamingo]] was a bird at the [[Adelaide Zoo]] in Australia who died aged at least 83 years old. The bird's exact age is not known; he was already a mature adult when he arrived in Adelaide in 1933. He was euthanized in January 2014 due to complications of old age.<ref>{{cite web |author= |title=Greater, the 83-year-old Adelaide Zoo flamingo, dies |publisher=The Australian |date=31 January 2014 |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/greater-the-83yearold-adelaide-zoo-flamingo-dies/story-e6frg6n6-1226814727621 |accessdate=31 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/video/id-c5aTQyNTqTxBiLAcCPG4Xx56HeO03Ip8/The-flamingo-returns |title=Video: The Flamingo Returns |publisher=The Australian |accessdate=31 January 2014 | date=31 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Wills |first=Daniel |title=Bashed flamingo back on its feet at Adelaide Zoo |date=October 31, 2008 |publisher=The Australian |url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/bashed-flamingo-making-good-recovery/story-e6frea6u-1111117909146 |accessdate=31 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Fedorowytsch |first=Tom |title=Flamingo believed to be world's oldest dies at Adelaide Zoo aged 83 |publisher=ABC Radio Australia |date=31 January 2014 |url=http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2014-01-31/flamingo-believed-to-be-worlds-oldest-dies-at-adelaide-zoo-aged-83/1257422 |accessdate=31 January 2014}}</ref>

===Threats===
Adult flamingos have few natural predators. The primary threats to flamingo populations are bacterias, toxins and pollutions in the waters supplies, which is usually run-off from manufacturing companies, and encroachment of their habitat.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Greater Flamingos at Kutch.jpg
File:Greater Flamingo 2 at Kutch.jpg
File:Greater Flamingo 3 at kutch.jpg
File:Greater Flamingo at Kutch.jpg
File:Phoenicopterus roseus solo flight (Walvis bay).jpg|In flight above [[Walvis Bay]]
File:Phoenicopterus roseus flight (Walvis bay).jpg|A sub-adult (top) with an adult (bottom) in flight
File:Greater flamingo sub adult (1).jpg|Greater flamingo sub-adult, [[Maharashtra]], India
File:Greater flamingo egg.jpg|Greater flamingo egg - taken at [[Cincinnati Zoo]]
File:Phoenicopterus roseus MWNH 0940.JPG|Eggs, collection [[Museum Wiesbaden]]
File:Zoo Basel flamingos breeding.JPG|Flamingo colony at Zoo Basel
File:White Pelican and Greater Flamingo (Walvis Bay).jpg|Size comparison with [[great white pelican]]
File:Extinctbirds1907 P31 Leguatia gigantea0353.png|"Leguat's Giant", a hypothetical giant rail based on [[Francois Leguat]]'s description<ref>{{Harvnb|Leguat|1891|p=[https://archive.org/stream/voyagefranoisle00missgoog#page/n106/mode/2up/search/high 210 Vol. 2]}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Rothschild|1907|p=[https://archive.org/stream/extinctbirdsatte00roth#page/151/mode/1up 151 and Plate 31]}}</ref>
File:Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) skeleton at the Royal Veterinary College anatomy museum.JPG|The skeleton of a greater flamingo
File:Fenix.JPG|Greater flamingos at [[Faunistic Park Le Cornelle]], Italy
File:Phoenicopterus roseus portrait.jpg|Portrait of a specimen at [[Martin Mere]], UK
File:Phoenicopterus roseus feeding - sub-adult.ogv|A sub-adult feeding in Walvis Bay
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
[[File:Phoenicopterus roseus (Rosaflamingo - Greater Flamingo) — Weltvogelpark Walsrode 2013.ogg|thumb|Voice of the greater flamingo]]
{{commons+cat|Phoenicopterus roseus|Phoenicopterus roseus}}
* [http://www.hbw.com/ibc/species/greater-flamingo-phoenicopterus-roseus Greater flamingo videos, photos & sounds] on the Internet Bird Collection
* [http://www.panoramio.com/photo/17019637 Performing greater flamingos in open field]
* Greater flamingo - [http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/097.pdf Species text] - ''The Atlas of Southern African Birds''

{{Flamingos}}
{{taxonbar}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:flamingo, greater}}
[[Category:Phoenicopteridae|greater flamingo]]
[[Category:Flamingos|greater flamingo]]
[[Category:Birds of Africa]]
[[Category:Birds of Europe]]
[[Category:Birds of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Birds of the Middle East]]
[[Category:Birds of Western Asia]]
[[Category:Vagrant birds of Asia]]
[[Category:Birds described in 1811|greater flamingo]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]

Kazakhstan Encyclopedia - User contributions [en]

Greater flamingo