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Flamingo under water


Flamingo under water
Photo Information
Copyright: Michel Pilon (pilonm) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 554 W: 99 N: 844] (2743)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-02-03
Categories: Birds
Camera: Panasonic DMC FZ - 20 LUMIX
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-06-30 7:22
Viewed: 1535
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Another flamingo present in our hotel garden. Like the other, this one was taking a shower under the water fountain...

Hope you'll like it!

Geographic Range
South America, from central Peru to southern Argentina and Chile, including parts Bolivia, Paraguay, and southern Brazil

Biogeographic Regions:
neotropical (native ); indian ocean (native ); atlantic ocean (native ).

Habitat
The flamingos live in lagoons, especially salt lakes, where there is lots of mud and water. The depth of the water is especially important. Some flamingos nest in the same nest every year; others probably don't.

Aquatic Biomes:
lakes and ponds; coastal .

Physical Description
Mass
2.30 kg (average)
(5.06 lbs)

Their size and color make these birds unmistakeable.

Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .

Reproduction
Flamingos breed during the months of March and July 14th. They form long-term pair bonds, but there is probably considerable extra-pair mating. During mating, the male tucks his legs under the females wings. Nests are constructed of mud, 25 cm high and 35-40 cm across. The female lays one egg, which she and the male incubate for one month. During incubation, flamingos straddle the nest, placing their long legs on either side of it. The egg is elongate, chalky white and the yolk is blood red. The babies are born grey with a straight bill, the upper mandible with a slight hook. For up to two months, the parents produce a special "crop milk" that they feed to their young. This crop milk is primarily fat and protein, and is initially dark red! The young are agile, good at running and swimming.

Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous .

Behavior
Flamingos are social creatures, living and breeding in very large colonies.

Key behaviors:
motile .

Food Habits
Flamingos use their long legs to stir up mud. They then use their beaks to strain food out of the muddy mixture. They eat diatoms, seeds, blue-green algae, a few crustaceans, and molluscs. They feed during the day and the night.

Economic Importance for Humans:
Negative
Flamingos damage the lagoons that they live in by creating their nests; this process can actually lead to flooding when the soil is washed away.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
The flamingo, by eating blue-green algae, helps keep the algae level down in that area. They also help control the number of small crustaceans and molluscs.

Conservation Status
A flamingos worst enemy is man, who destroys the bird's habitat or kills them for sport. Other enemies are include climatic changes, rising waters, and predators (especially on chicks)
scottevers7, soccer, ddg, jchemas, jeanpaul, eruyanik, SkyF, elefantino, aido, pvs, csmnlm, RII has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To soccer: Thank youpilonm 1 06-30 12:19
To scottevers7: Thannk you,pilonm 1 06-30 12:18
To aido: Thank you!pilonm 1 06-30 12:17
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Michel,
A very nice shot on this Flamingo. Your composition and framing of the shot look excellent. Possibly cropped alittle to tight at the back as you cut off his tail feathers. Good exposure has rendered beautiful saturated colors and sharp detail. Nice shot!
Scott

Michel,

The POV, Details of the subject, BG, Lighting and colours are all great. I would have prefered to have the tail in the frame but understand that it is not always so easy. TFS,
Sheriff

Hello Michel.excllent details, Bg, POV, DOF Perfect colors, I like this POVand franming alot, Perfect Job, TFS Kyle

Hello Michel
excellent shot of this flamingo.
Great composition with superb colors and details.
Excellent POV and BG.
Love the frame.
tfs!!!!!
Regards
JC

Salut Michel
Cette prise de vue de ce beau flamand rose est vraiment réussie très belle.
C'est un véritable plaisir que de voir ces belles couleurs , La composition est jolie ainsi que le Bg et le beaux détails.
Merci et a la prochaine et bon week end ....JP

Hello Michel!
Different and great shot of this flamingo! i like this pose with the legs under the water, so it looks without legs and has got looong neck and oval body only :-) pov, focusing, sharpness all are spot on and colours are beautiful! Thank you!
Ersin

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2006-06-30 10:33]

Salut Michel,
wonderful shot of this flamingo. Very well composed with very nice details and great colors. POV, light and framing is very nice.
TFS..Sky

Hi Michel, nice picture.
Good details and colors, great light on the eye of your pink friend.
Andrea

  • Great 
  • aido Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1095 W: 169 N: 1218] (4046)
  • [2006-06-30 12:10]
  • [+]

Hi Michel,
Beautiful detail in this shot, excellent colours too. I agree with Scott, I think the framing would benefit from a little less space in front and more behind. Great shot though, excellent exposure and perfect DOF.
Regards,
Adrian

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1159 W: 255 N: 2639] (11925)
  • [2006-06-30 14:44]

Hi Michel,

A very nice shot of this flamingo,greeat composition with perfect colors,well done and TFS,

regards,
Paul

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1029 W: 0 N: 90] (7755)
  • [2006-07-01 4:46]

Hi Michel
Nice shot. Good colours,sharpnes, DOF and POV. Also good light and note.
Wll done

osse

Hi Michel
It is very nice shot.Composition and framing of the shot are great.

  • Great 
  • RII Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 486 W: 0 N: 887] (2804)
  • [2006-07-21 12:32]

Hi Michel.
Fantastic capture, beautiful composition, excellent sharpness, colors, details and light,great photo, the note is good and complet.

Saludos...RICARDO.

  • Great 
  • OzBY Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 182 W: 2 N: 310] (1069)
  • [2006-07-22 18:12]

Hi Michel,
Very good picture of this flamingo.
Great color, light, BG, POV, DOF and sharpness.

Oz

Excellent picture of a magnificent bird! The composition is very good and colors are brilliant and natural! Great details and DOF! Outstanding job!

Regards,
Eddie

the reflections from the pier are distracting. If you could have taken the image from a different angle to eliminate the reflection altogether, your shot would be over the top. Nice bird though.

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