The Flamingo Pond

The David Lauffer Flamingo Pond is home to three flocks of flamingoes. The Caribbean flamingoes from Cuba are the most brightly coloured of the three. They are very close relatives of the Greater flamingoes, and are generally regarded as a race of the same species. Greater flamingoes (Phoenicopterus ruber) can be found in the Middle East, and occasionally appear in Israel´s few remaining wetlands in winter. They have a much broader geographical range than the physically smaller Lesser flamingoes (Phoeniconaias minor), but both species reside in Africa and parts of Asia.

The striking coloration of these birds is the product of a diet rich in red pigments. In the wild, flamingoes eat large amounts of very small crustaceans to give them their rich colour. In captivity, the pink color is often enhanced by the addition of red-pigmented ingredients such as beets and carrots, as well as sweet paprika and other natural items, to give a bold and beautiful plumage.

http://www.jerusalemzoo.org.il/english/upload/tour/flamingo.html

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