Automatically translated. This page was translated automatically from German and has not been reviewed by our editors.Show original
Birds
Lesser flamingo
Lesser flamingo · Phoeniconaias minor
Lesser flamingos bring shimmering flashes of colour to Africa’s salt lakes and, with their group behaviour, create spectacular natural moments.
Fact file
- Size
- Up to 90 centimetres tall, up to 2.5 kilograms in weight
- Males and females
- Males and females look almost identical, females usually just a little smaller
- Sounds
- High, trumpeting call, especially in flight and in colonies
- Diet
- Feeds on blue and green algae as well as the finest plankton, filtered with the bill
- Offspring
- One egg per season, breeding period usually during the rainy season
How to identify Lesser flamingo
The lesser flamingo is instantly recognisable by its pale pink to deep pink plumage, which glows in the sunlight. Light and dark shades of pink run through the feathers, created by a diet rich in algae. Striking features are the deep red legs and the bright red, short, downward-curving bill with a black tip.
Reaching a maximum of 90 centimetres, the lesser flamingo is noticeably smaller and more delicately built than other flamingo species. Its graceful posture, long neck and slender legs make it unmistakable. In large groups its movements appear synchronised and elegant, especially when feeding in shallow water.
More in the app
With Wildful Stories+ you also get in the app:
- general viewing tips
- 6 places where you can see Lesser flamingo
Where Lesser flamingo live
Discover Lesser flamingo on your trip.
The app shows you where and when to see wildlife along your route.
