Sunday, August 7, 2011

Pink Flamingos

For this weeks Mosaic Monday and That's My World I have Flamingo photos from my recent visit to the Smithsonian National Zoo in DC.




This past Saturday, hubby and his cousin and I visited the Smithsonian Zoo in DC. It was a treat to see a juvenile Pink Flamingo along side the adults. I usually like to post wild birds on my blog but this was the first time I have seen a flamingo chick and it was a neat sighting. Look at that bill and those legs and feet.


I learned something new about the Flamingos there are actually six different species: the Greater Flamingo is found in Africa and Asia, the Lesser Flamingo found in Africa and India, the Chilean Flamingo found in South America, James's Flamingo found in high Andes Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina, the Andean Flamingo also found in Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina and the last one is the American Flamingo found in the Caribbean and Galapagos islands.




Flamingos eat brine shrimp and brine flies which give them their pink color. Flamingo pairs make mud mound nests and incubate one egg for about thirty days. Chicks leave the nest after ten days and join other chicks and watched by the adults.


Flamingos are 42 inches tall from the tip of their head to the tip of their tail. And can stand as tall as 5 feet. They weigh 5 or 6 pounds. Doesn't seem like much does it?  And their wing span is 55 inches.

And to show the Pink Flamingos moving around with the chick I am linking up my youtube video.'


I hope you enjoyed my Flamingo post and to see more wonderful mosaics please visit Mary's Mosaic Monday  and visit That's My World for photos from around the world. Thanks to Mary and to the hosting gang of That's My World.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

66 comments:

  1. wow. the babies are neat! and i had no idea their coloring came from brine shrimp! very cool!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Eileen, How exciting to get to see living Flamingos! I am green with envy. I used to innocently irritate my Southern California neighbors by having a pair of yes, plastic pink flamingos on metal wire legs on my front yard lawn. I love flamingos! Have a super nice evening and a great coming week!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've never seen a chick before. Awesome!
    Have a beautiful week ~
    TTFN ~
    Hugs,
    Marydon

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very cool Eileen. I loved learning this extra info on Flamingos and seeing the chick! When we were in D.C. there was so much to see I never got to the zoo...

    ReplyDelete
  5. That poor baby flamingo with the too big feet is so cute. They have a lovely shade of peach. V

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow, what a cutie. Great video. Take care and have a fantastic week.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I spent many a summer visiting my grandparents in Tampa every summer. I loved going to see the flamingos. This post made me smile...ear to ear!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am green with envy, but the post made me smile...ear to ear!

    ReplyDelete
  9. That was very interesting! Especially about their coloring. Photos are great!

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is incredible! Even thought I live in Florida for most of the year...I have never seen a flamingo! I would be thrilled to see one! WOW! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  11. Flamingos get a bad rap with all those plastic ones flocking on peoples' yards! In life they are so very beautiful - although that little one could have starred in a remake of The Ugly Duckling, poor thing!

    ReplyDelete
  12. This post is so neat. I've never seen a chick before and didn't know that flamingos are pink because they eat shrimp. Fascinating. I also like to see how the chick rests with his knees bent that way.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The baby is rather cute. I had no idea there were that many different species of Flamingo or that eating brine shrimp and brine flies will make you pink! Great mosaics.

    ReplyDelete
  14. i like your mosaic contrasting the colors of a juvenile and matured flamingo.

    ReplyDelete
  15. wow, that´s a "header" for sure. Thinking of the headershot. :)

    Lovely birds and I loved seeing the young bird. Don´t think I have seen it before. It is amazing how they "sit" it looks so awkward. :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Even if they weren't in the wild these are lovely! I didn't realize the pink color came from their food intake.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Morning Eileen

    Not too sure about the chick, thank goodness it turns into a beauty as it gets older. We visited a safari park a few years ago when in France and they had hundreds if flamingoes, they are quite a sight all together aren't they. Have a good week, Jackie in Surrey, UK.

    ReplyDelete
  18. It makes my knees hurt looking at how that chick is sitting--LOL!!
    :D

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hello Eileen! I discovered your blog from Mary's Mosaic party. I live in the city so I don't often see such beautiful animals. I'm back reading your posts and I hope to know you better. :) I hope we could develop a connection by following each others blogs. Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I learned so muh about flamingos I didn't know!! Beautiful pictures too! Have a grand week! Cathy

    ReplyDelete
  21. What fun! I love flamingos. The zoo here had babies this last year and they'd had a flamingo walk every morning ... walking the babies to the pond each morning until they were old enough to stay out each night. What a hoot to go and watch them!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great shots! it's my first time to see "flamingos". Nice post.

    Cassy from Advanced Guitar Lessons

    ReplyDelete
  23. Lovely pics and story Eileen. I don't think I've seen a chick before. Of course I have seen flamingos in the zoo, but I saw some in the wild in the south of France in 2005. The great flocks taking flight would be simple amazing to watch.

    ReplyDelete
  24. HI Eileen. Those flamingo's are gorgeous. I love their color and elegance and I am sure the little ones will grow up just as beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Your mosaics do them all so good.,

    ReplyDelete
  25. How cool! I've never seen a flamingo chick before.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I never saw a juvenile flamingo before, either, Eileen. I can't believe how large it's feet are! Nice MM and MWT post!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love zoos! One of my most favorite places to visit and this one looks terrific, Eileen! And I do love the flamingos! Wonderful captures of what must have been a delightful visit! Hope you have a great week!


    Sylvia

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wow those birds are something else! The pictures don't look at all as if they were taken at a zoo -- looks like you were right out there with them -- excellent job. There are supposed to be flamingos in Florida, but so far we haven't seen been in the right place.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Love the flamingo shots. It's weird to see th juvenile ones so big and still fuzzy gray. I need to get there someday. Hope you got to see the pandas.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I didn't know about the brine shrimp providing their colour.Great post. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Very lovely birds. You have created wonderful mosaic with images.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Very interesting post. I didn't know much about flamingos so I learned something. All good shots and I particularly love the one of the chick.

    ReplyDelete
  33. thanks for sharing. hasn't seen a flamingo chick before either.

    ReplyDelete
  34. They are so graceful too! I do not recall seeing gray colored flamingos!

    Beautiful photos!

    ReplyDelete
  35. the flamingos are so gorgeous. it must have been a real treat to see these up close.

    ReplyDelete
  36. they're gorgeous creatures! how interesting that what they eat makes their color. great post.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Interesting post and beautiful shots! :)

    ReplyDelete
  38. Hi there - they really are a strange bird! What a range of features - crazy beaks, knees that bend the wring way, pink!

    Nice set of shots.

    Cheers - Stewart M

    ReplyDelete
  39. Beautiful shots indeed... great post

    ReplyDelete
  40. That sure is a ton of flamingos all in one place! They are such a beautiful colour!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Pink flamingos are just awesome birds with the magic of their colour and snake-like necks and crazy looking beaks. Great pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Amazing birds. Lovely shot :)
    Thanks for dropping by...

    www.1sthappyfamily.com

    ReplyDelete
  43. Wonderful shots of a great subject. Love that zoo. I have seen flamingos in FL. Such cool birds.

    Carolina Mts

    ReplyDelete
  44. Great post and mosaics! I never knew the reason pink flamingos were pink before. The juvie is so cute! I saw my first juvenile Sand Hill Crane this year but sadly, didn't have a camera with me.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Very cute babies - thanks for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Your flamingo pictures and video are great Eileen. I love flamingo's, they can be pretty comical and still beautiful to look at. That little juvenile is so cute.

    ReplyDelete
  47. So colorful..had heard of the shrimp but not the flies. What a crowd..a nice mosaic and header. Your video brought a nice addition too Eileen:)

    ReplyDelete
  48. I have never seen a flamingo chick-they are amazing birds aren't they! We don't see them at all over here, only in zoos. Thanks so much for sharing the video too. What a great post!

    Best wishes,
    Natasha.

    ReplyDelete
  49. What fun to see the young flamingo! I had no idea they turned pink from their diet! Thanks for the fun info & photos :-)

    ReplyDelete
  50. Love the pink flamingos Eileen - great video too.

    ReplyDelete
  51. These pictures are spectacular !!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Never saw a flamingo chick before myself either. That beak and those long legs always get me!

    ReplyDelete
  53. They are magnificent birds and the chick is grey, that's interesting. They are so tall I could eyeball one. Lovely shots.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Somebody in this house signed into my computer and didn't sign out again, so I have been merrily commenting as him instead of me. Wilbo 43 was me not him.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Oh wow, great post Eileen. I have never seen the little ones before. While I knew how they got their coloring I guess I wasn't expecting to see a gray chick. He is a cute little thing.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Stunning shots of the flamingos! I knew the chicks were grey but didn't expect them to have such enormous feet and beaks. I guess, like kids, they grow into them.

    ReplyDelete
  57. beautiful flamingos!! like squirrelqueen said...i knew their coloring came from shrimp...i just never thought about the chicks NOT being PINKISH-ORANGISH yet! great pictures!!

    ReplyDelete
  58. A wonderful series.... beautiful birds to see.

    ReplyDelete
  59. One of my favorite places, and I love the flamingos. So nice to see the babies, too. Something about those big feet...

    ReplyDelete
  60. Great shots of the flamingos! Five to six pounds--they must be all feathers!! Have a great weekend. Mickie :)

    ReplyDelete
  61. I didn't realise flamingos were so tall and light-weight. Love you last photo.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Flamingos are a lovely sight. Very interesting Blog.

    ReplyDelete

Hello, thank you for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

BTW, Anonymous comments unless a name is included will not be published. Also, comments with links will be deleted.

Have a happy day, Eileen

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a ha ppy new week! "Sometimes miracles are just good people with kind hearts." Rick's Cafe, N...