List of Indian Flamingos - Pictures

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Flamingos belong to the genus Phoenicopterus of the family Phoenicopteridae. Flamingos are the only genus in this family of wading birds. Of the six known living species of flamingos four are present in the Americas and two are present in the Old World, including India. The genus name Phoenicopterus is derived from the Greek word "φοινικόπτερος", meaning "purple wing". Flamingos are flocking birds. They are tall birds, measuring up to 3-5 feet in height.

They have unique filter feeding mechanism, feeding on brine shrimp and blue-green algae. They keep their odd-shaped beaks upside down while feeding. They have long legs with webbed feet. They have the mysterious habit of standing on one foot with the other one tucked under the belly. They appear to stir up the muddy bottom before filter feeding. Their mandibles lined with hairy lamellae and the large rough-surfaced tongue help them in filter-feeding.

List of Indian Flamingos - Family: Phoenicopteridae
Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Lesser flamingo (Phoenicopterus minor)

Their pink to reddish color comes from the carotenoids present their food. Richer coloration is seen in birds, whose source of food is mostly blue-green algae. Blue-green algae and brine shrimp thrive well in shallow saline and alkaline water bodies. Hence flamingos are seen flocking saline lakes. They are social birds and live in colonies of thousands. They nest on the mud flats, aggressively defend their nesting sites.

Images are attributed individually in the respective pages.
Current topic in Birds of India: List of flamingos with pictures.