Why Flamingos Are Pink

Flamingos are tall birds with long legs and long necks. Many of them live in big groups near salty lakes. Here are some questions and answers about them.

Are baby flamingos pink? No, they aren't! Baby flamingos are gray or white. Their soft feathers are gray, and their legs are gray too. They don't look like their parents at all.

So why are adult flamingos pink? The answer is their food. Flamingos eat very small plants called algae, and they also eat tiny shrimp. The algae and the shrimp have natural colors inside them. When a flamingo eats a lot of them, its new feathers slowly turn pink. Some even turn orange or red.

How long does it take? A young flamingo needs about two or three years. Then its feathers are pink like its parents' feathers.

Why do flamingos stand on one leg? Scientists are still studying this question. One study says it is easy for them. A flamingo uses very little energy on one leg. Some flamingos even sleep on one leg!

Can a pink flamingo lose its color? Yes, it can. Flamingos in zoos get special food with these colors in it. Without that food, or without algae and shrimp, a flamingo's new feathers come in pale. A pink bird can slowly become almost white.