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Lesser Flamingo


Lesser Flamingo
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1869 W: 83 N: 4356] (14169)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D70, AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6 G, Digital RAW
Exposure: f/4.2, 1/200 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-06-28 14:34
Viewed: 1058
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Lesser Flamingo (Phoenicopterus minor) is a species in the flamingo family of birds which occurs in Africa (principally in the Great Rift Valley), across to Pakistan and northwest India. It is a very rare vagrant to southern Europe, with several records from Spain - birds are occasionally reported from further north, but are generally considered to be escapes.

It is the smallest and most numerous flamingo, probably numbering up to two million individual birds.In Africa, where they are most numerous, the Lesser Flamingos breeds principally on the highly caustic Lake Natron in Northern Tanzania. Like all flamingos, they lay a single chalky white egg on mounds they build of mud. Most of the plumage is pinkish white.

Chicks join creches soon after hatching, sometimes numbering over a hundred thousand individuals. The creches are marshalled by a few adult birds who lead them by foot to fresh water, a journey that can reach over 20 miles.

The clearest difference between this species and Greater Flamingo, the only other Old World species, is the much more extensive black on the bill. Size is less helpful unless the species are together, since the sexes of each species also differ in height.

This species feeds primarily on Spirulina, a cyanobacteria which grows only in very alkaline lakes. Although blue-green in colour, the bacteria contains the phtotosynthetic pigments that gives the birds their pink colour. Their deep bill is specialised for filtering tiny food items.

Lesser Flamingos are predated on by a variety of species including Marabou Storks, baboons, African Fish Eagles and jackals.

The population in the two key east African lakes, Nakuru and Bogoria, have been adversely affected in recent years by suspected heavy metal poisoning.

The Lesser Flamingo is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Peter
Beautiful portrait of this colorful Flamingo,
nice details and POV, well composed, TFS. Best regards/Lawhill

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-06-28 20:03]

Hello Peter

A beautiful shot of this flamingo.The colours are very good,I like the pale pink plumage and very pink trimmings.lol.Well focused with sharp details.Nicely done.TFS

Rob

Hello Peter,
Great close-up of this beautiful bird! Nice sharp detail of the feathers and good composition.
Kind regards,
Bev :-)

  • Great 
  • ridvan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 555 W: 0 N: 1134] (5196)
  • [2007-06-29 11:58]

selam peter; excellent shot of this lovely bird, very good details presented nice POV well captured with splendid colours TFS
regards
ridvan

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2316 W: 11 N: 6385] (20516)
  • [2007-06-30 8:40]

Hi Peter,

Lovely close-up of this pink flamingo. A nice pose showing off that fantastic plummage. Good colors and details of this bird. I love the way she is looking down.

Jane

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