Wildlife Guide · Worldwide

Flamingo

Phoenicopteridae

The pink filter-feeders of the world's saline lakes

Varies by species (Least Concern to Vulnerable)

A flamboyance of bright pink flamingos wading and filter-feeding in a shallow saline lake, several with heads dipped upside down in the water.

Image: Source: Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia “Flamingo” — verify license before production

In brief

Flamingos are a family (Phoenicopteridae) of six species of tall, filter-feeding wading birds whose pink colour comes from carotenoid pigments in the algae and small crustaceans they eat in saline and alkaline lakes.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated June 2026

Flamingos are tall, long-legged wading birds famous for their rosy-pink plumage and their habit of standing on one leg. The family Phoenicopteridae contains six living species spread across the Americas, Africa, southern Europe and Asia, from the Caribbean and the high Andes to the alkaline lakes of East Africa. They are specialised filter feeders, sweeping their downturned bills through shallow water to strain out algae, tiny crustaceans and other minute organisms. The carotenoid pigments in this diet are what turn their feathers pink. Several species are doing well, while others face shrinking habitat and are listed as Near Threatened or Vulnerable.

Living species

Up to ~1.5 m

Standing height (greater flamingo)

550,000+

Greater flamingos estimated worldwide

30-40 yrs

Typical wild lifespan

Figures sourced from IUCN Red List - Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), IUCN Red List - Andean flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus), Wikipedia - Flamingo and other references on this page.

Flamingo: Quick Facts

Vital statistics and key facts about the Flamingo
Lifespan	~30-40 years in the wild; longer in captivity
Weight	About 2.5-3.5 kg (5.5-7.7 lb)
Standing height	~0.8-1.5 m (greater flamingo largest)
Diet	Algae, diatoms, brine shrimp and other small aquatic invertebrates (filter feeder)
Incubation	About 27-31 days, shared by both parents
Young per clutch	Usually a single egg
Baby name	Chick
Group name	Flamboyance (also a stand or colony)
Species	6 living species
CITES	Listed on CITES Appendix II

Scientific Classification

Scientific classification of the Flamingo
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Phoenicopteriformes
Family	Phoenicopteridae
Genera	Phoenicopterus, Phoeniconaias, Phoenicoparrus

Conservation Status

IUCN Status: Varies by species (Least Concern to Vulnerable)
Population: Greater flamingo estimated at roughly 550,000-680,000 individuals; the lesser flamingo is the most numerous species overall
Trend: Mixed: stable or increasing in some species, decreasing in the Andean flamingo
Assessed: 2018-2020 (most recent IUCN assessments for the six species)
CITES: Appendix II

All six species are protected under CITES Appendix II. Threats include loss and degradation of wetland and saline-lake habitat, water extraction, mining and disturbance at the few key breeding sites.

Did you know?

Flamingos can feed in water so caustic it would burn other animals, and their bright pink colour is essentially edible: a flamingo is only as pink as the carotenoid-rich food it eats.

Key Facts: Flamingo

Flamingos form one bird family, Phoenicopteridae, with six living species across three genera.
Their iconic pink colour is not innate: it comes from carotenoid pigments in the algae and small crustaceans they eat.
They are filter feeders, holding the bill upside down and using comb-like lamellae to strain food from water and mud.
They specialise in harsh saline, alkaline and high-altitude lakes where few other birds can compete.
Conservation status varies by species, from Least Concern (greater and American flamingos) to Vulnerable (Andean flamingo).
Both parents incubate a single egg and feed the grey chick a protein-rich 'crop milk' produced in their digestive tract.

Why are flamingos pink?

Flamingo chicks hatch grey, and adults would stay a dull whitish colour without the right diet. The pink to reddish hues come from carotenoid pigments, the same family of compounds that make carrots orange and tomatoes red. Flamingos take in these pigments by eating algae and pigment-rich invertebrates such as brine shrimp, then deposit the carotenoids in their feathers, skin and bill. Because colour reflects how much pigment a bird is getting, brighter plumage is a signal of good nutrition and health, and it plays a role in courtship. Captive flamingos that are not fed carotenoid-rich food gradually fade toward pale pink or white.

Filter feeding and saline-lake life

Flamingos are among the few birds built to thrive in shallow saline, brackish and highly alkaline lakes. They feed with the head lowered and the bill held upside down in the water, pumping water in and out with the tongue. Fine comb-like plates called lamellae line the bill and trap algae, diatoms, tiny crustaceans, seeds and aquatic invertebrates while letting water and mud pass through. This specialised feeding lets large flocks exploit lakes that are too salty or caustic for most predators and competitors, which is one reason flamingos often gather in enormous numbers at just a handful of key sites.

The six species and where they live

The greater flamingo, the largest and most widespread, ranges across Africa, southern Europe and Asia, while the American (Caribbean) flamingo is the brightest and lives around the Caribbean and Galapagos. The Chilean flamingo occupies temperate South America. Three high-altitude specialists, the lesser flamingo of Africa and South Asia plus the Andean and James's (puna) flamingos of the South American altiplano, breed on remote salt lakes. The lesser flamingo is the most numerous overall yet depends on very few breeding lakes, which leaves it sensitive to disturbance and habitat change.

Breeding and raising chicks

Flamingos are highly social and nest in dense colonies, sometimes tens of thousands of pairs strong. Each pair builds a cone-shaped mud nest and lays a single egg, which both parents take turns incubating for roughly 27 to 31 days. The newly hatched chick is grey with a straight bill that curves only as it grows. Both parents feed it a nutritious 'crop milk' secreted in the upper digestive tract; this red-tinted fluid is rich in fat and protein. Within weeks chicks gather into large groups called creches, watched by a few adults, while parents leave to feed.

The six flamingo species at a glance

Species	Scientific name	Main range	IUCN status
Greater flamingo	Phoenicopterus roseus	Africa, S Europe, Asia	Least Concern
American (Caribbean) flamingo	Phoenicopterus ruber	Caribbean, Galapagos	Least Concern
Chilean flamingo	Phoenicopterus chilensis	Temperate South America	Near Threatened
Lesser flamingo	Phoeniconaias minor	Africa, South Asia	Near Threatened
Andean flamingo	Phoenicoparrus andinus	Andean altiplano	Vulnerable
James's (puna) flamingo	Phoenicoparrus jamesi	Andean altiplano	Near Threatened

What WARN Does

The World Animal Rescue Network does not currently fund flamingo conservation. Flamingos are a globally distributed group, while WARN's funded field projects are focused on partner-network countries (its partner-network countries). We publish this guide as free educational and search-friendly content that supports WARN's broader mission of raising awareness for wildlife and the habitats they depend on. The wetlands and saline lakes flamingos rely on are exactly the kind of ecosystems WARN's habitat work aims to protect, and learning about flamingos helps build the global understanding that underpins all conservation.

Flamingos depend on healthy wetlands and saline lakes, the same fragile habitats that wildlife everywhere rely on. WARN does not yet fund flamingo-specific projects, but your gift to our habitat protection appeal supports the broader work of safeguarding the wild places animals need to survive.

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Flamingo: Frequently Asked Questions

How many species of flamingo are there?

There are six living species of flamingo in the family Phoenicopteridae: the greater, lesser, American (Caribbean), Chilean, Andean and James's (puna) flamingos.

Why are flamingos pink?

Flamingos are pink because of carotenoid pigments in their food. They eat algae and small crustaceans such as brine shrimp that are rich in carotenoids, then deposit those pigments in their feathers, skin and bill. Without this diet their colour fades.

What do flamingos eat and how do they feed?

Flamingos are filter feeders. They hold the bill upside down in shallow water and use comb-like plates called lamellae to strain out algae, diatoms, small crustaceans, seeds and aquatic invertebrates while letting water and mud pass through.

What is a group of flamingos called?

A group of flamingos is most often called a flamboyance. They are also sometimes called a stand or a colony.

How long do flamingos live?

In the wild flamingos typically live around 30 to 40 years. In captivity they can live much longer, with one famous greater flamingo reaching an age in its 80s.

Are flamingos endangered?

Most flamingos are not endangered, but status varies by species. The greater and American flamingos are Least Concern, the Chilean, lesser and James's flamingos are Near Threatened, and the Andean flamingo is Vulnerable with a declining population.

Where do flamingos live?

Flamingos live in shallow saline and alkaline lakes, coastal lagoons and estuaries across the Americas, Africa, southern Europe and Asia. Six living species in family Phoenicopteridae filter-feed on algae and tiny crustaceans in water often too salty or alkaline for many other birds. The greater flamingo — the tallest species at up to about 1.5 m standing height — numbers more than 550,000 worldwide. Habitat shrinkage threatens some species listed Near Threatened or Vulnerable.

Are flamingos dangerous?

Flamingos are not dangerous to people. These tall filter-feeding waders are timid in the wild and rely on flocking in shallow water for safety. Their downturned bills strain algae, diatoms and brine shrimp — carotenoid pigments from this diet turn feathers pink. Standing height ranges from about 0.8 m to 1.5 m depending on species. Wild birds typically live 30–40 years. Andean flamingos are Vulnerable with a declining population.

How big is a flamingo?

Flamingos stand roughly 0.8 to 1.5 m tall depending on species, with the greater flamingo the largest. They weigh about 2.5–3.5 kg and filter-feed in shallow saline or alkaline water using comb-like bill plates called lamellae. Six living species exist worldwide. Carotenoids from algae and brine shrimp colour their pink plumage. Wild lifespan is typically 30–40 years, with greater flamingos numbering more than 550,000 globally.

Sources & References

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.

Terms used on this page

Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.

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