Greetings friends and welcome to this week’s blog. Today we’re checking in on our lesser flamingos in the Waterfalls Area. The lesser hails from sub-Saharan Africa and India. The name flamingo is a derivative of the latin word “flamma” which means flame. It’s an adjective that was used to describe their plumage.
Flamingos ware wading birds that live near bodies of water such as shallow lakes, lagoons and tidal flats. Flamingos feed by holding their beaks upside down in the water. They get a beak full of water then filter out the mud and silt through small hair-like filters called lamellae.
The lesser flamingo is one of the smallest flamingos. It stands 2.5-3 feet tall. The lesser also weighs between 3 and 5 pounds on average. Flamingo legs can be longer than their bodies. What we might see as a bending knee on a flamingo is actually an ankle. Their knees are
actually higher up the leg and out of sight.
During the breeding season the female will lay a single egg. When the eggs hatch the chicks join what is called a creche. Creches are groups of young birds being led by a few attending adults.
Timbavati Wildlife Park is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna. Visit our website today to plan your visit. For a limited time we have our Fall Combo Ticket available. That’s a general admission plus Safari Train Ride for one great price.
