Flamingoes Trivia

1. The flamingo is the only extant member of which animal order?

From Quiz World of the Fabulous Flamingo

Answer: Phoenicopteriformes

The Phoenicopteriformes are an order of birds, all of which but the modern flamingo are extinct. The modern freshwater diving birds, Grebes, are of the order Podicipedidae and are the closet relative still living, to the flamingo.

From Quiz World of the Fabulous Flamingo

Answer: Chilean

The Chilean flamingo was the first to be born in a European zoo, which made headlines in 1958, and following this were some greater flamingos added to the zoo in 1959. Within the size recognised species of the flamingo, the Chilean flamingo is related closest to the American flamingo and the greater flamingo. To stop unwanted crossbreeding from occurring, it was decided that the Basel Zoo would only keep greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus) in the 1980s. and by 1990 a new enclosure was constructed. Hundreds of greater flamingos have been hatched at Basel Zoo since its opening. Basel zoo has found that the typical lifespan of a flamingo in captivity is around 60 years, whereas in the wild it is around 30-40.

From Quiz World of the Fabulous Flamingo

Answer: Tanzania

Lake Natron is a salt lake located in Tanzania's Arusha Region, in the northeast of the country. The conditions of this lake will kill a human and others, such as bats, with those who have fallen into it preserved in the pose they fell or flew in, due to the strong presence of sodium carbonate in its waters. The lake is oversaturated with salt and has a pH of around 9-10.5. These conditions however do not stop the lesser flamingo from breeding here, with around 75% of the world's population being hatched here. The water level must be just right. If it is too high, the flamingos cannot construct their nests and if too low, predators can get to the nests on foot. Once the water level is just right, the flamingos lay their eggs safely, surrounded by the protection of the corrosive water. The lesser flamingo's legs have evolved to be leathery and tough, and can take the level of salt in the water.

From Quiz Greater Flamingoes and Other Flamingoes

Answer: Lamellae

The lamellae, coupled with ridges on the flamingo's bill, help the flamingo filter its food out of the water.

From Quiz World of the Fabulous Flamingo

Answer: Greater

With a name synonymous to his species, Greater, the greater flamingo, was introduced to the Adelaide Zoo in 1933. Greater lived until 2014, and was known to be friendly to visitors of the zoo. It was never determined whether Greater was a male or a female.

From Quiz World of the Fabulous Flamingo

Answer: Nostril

Flamingos osmoregulate in one way through their salt gland. This gland is located in their beaks, and it expels excess salt through their nostril opening. Flamingos will drink by sucking up water with their bill. They then tilt their head back to settle any sediments, then strain the water they have gulped though a structure similar to that of a comb, which is in their beak. This filters out any small objects they may have found, or any algae remaining. When flamingos are eating or drinking, they propel the water into their mouths with their tongue. They then use their bill to filter out any pieces of food, or anything that have caught that they do not want. Flamingos are classed as "filter feeders" which means they can only ingest algae, plankton or small insects or fish. The flamingo will then swallow its filtered meal, then expel the remaining salt from its nostrils. The tongue can also help to filter out the salt, although the nostril is the main avenue for this.

From Quiz Flamingos !

Answer: ankle & the ankle

The knee is located close to the body and is not externally visible.

From Quiz World of the Fabulous Flamingo

Answer: Harry Berkeley James

Harry Berkeley James (1846-1892) was an English naturalist who travelled to Peru to see the birds there, and collect butterflies and moths. In 1885, James published a pamphlet regarding his findings of the birds in Chile. James's flamingo ("Phoenicoparrus jamesi") is a relatively small flamingo, being around 3 feet (1 metre) in height. It's the smallest species of New World flamingo. It is distinguished by its short bill which is yellow with a black tip. It is one of the four species of flamingo to be found in the wild of South America, the other three being the American flamingo, Chilean flamingo and Andean flamingo.

From Quiz Greater Flamingoes and Other Flamingoes

Answer: One egg

Only one egg is laid in the nest. If it falls, it is usually not picked up and is fair prey to predators.

From Quiz Flamingos !

Answer: pigments found in their food

The feather coloration comes from a diet high in alpha and beta carotenoid pigments found in the algae and various insects that make up the staples of a flamingo's diet. Flamingo feathers lose their color once they have been molted or discarded by the bird.

From Quiz Greater Flamingoes and Other Flamingoes

Answer: Both the parents

The male and the female flamingo take turns incubating the nest. Sounds pretty fair to me.

From Quiz Flamingos !

Answer: 19

The flamingo neck is long and sinuous, with 19 vertebrae, allowing for maximum movement and twisting !

From Quiz Greater Flamingoes and Other Flamingoes

Answer: A hallux

Greater flamingoes have four toes: three facing forward and another on the back of the foot.

From Quiz World of the Fabulous Flamingo

Answer: To use less muscle energy

Flamingos are capable of standing on one leg for a long period of time, to the point where they can comfortably fall asleep. Flamingos use more muscle power whilst standing on two legs, so remaining standing on one leg is less exhausting. Because birds lose body heat via their limbs, standing on one leg and tucking their other one up around their body means that the flamingo will also keep warmer as it sleeps.

From Quiz Greater Flamingoes and Other Flamingoes

Answer: Yellow

An adult flamingo's eyes are bright yellow. A young flamingo's eyes are gray.

From Quiz Flamingos !

Answer: preening

Flamingos preen with their bills. An oil gland near the base of the tail secretes oil that the flamingo distributes throughout its feathers for waterproofing.

From Quiz World of the Fabulous Flamingo

Answer: They wait for the correct amount of rainfall

Also known as the Caribbean flamingo, the American flamingo is one of the largest extant species of the bird. Breeding season varies between populations of this species, however adequate rainfall appears to be a significant que for breeding to start. The rainfall must be significant enough to provide an acceptable amount of food supply. All flamingos are social birds and live in colonies, sometimes numbering into the thousands. Both males and females perform elaborate displays to attract mates. Flamingos are (generally) monogamous, and all females lay a single egg. Flamingos in general appear to be sensitive to oncoming rain. On the dry coast of Namibia, Africa, with the greater flamingo appearing just before the rain appears on the usually dry Etosha Pan. It is theorised that they are sensitive to the small drops in barometric pressure that signify that rain is approaching.

From Quiz Greater Flamingoes and Other Flamingoes

Answer: The upper half

Unlike our mouths, it is the upper half of a flamingo's beak (the jaw is called a mandible) which moves. This is why the flamingo turns its head upside down to eat or drink.

From Quiz Flamingos !

Answer: India

The lesser flamingo has the largest population in the wild. In Africa, it is found mainly in Kenya and Tanzania with a (mostly) separated group in NW India.

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