Greater flamingo
Phoenicopterus roseus
Pink, with very long legs and a beak that bends the wrong way. The greater flamingo is the most eye-catching bird of Türkiye's salt lakes.
| Size | 110–150 cm |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 140–170 cm |
| Weight | 2–4 kg |
| Diet | Brine shrimp, algae, small creatures |
| Eggs | 1 |
| Where to see it | Lake Tuz, Gediz Delta, Lake Seyfe, wetlands |
Flamingos aren't born pink. The chicks are gray-white. The pink comes from the pigments in the shrimp and algae they eat. So the better they eat, the pinker they get.
When they feed, they turn their heads upside down and dip their beaks in the water. The edge of the beak has strainer-like structures. They filter the water and catch the tiny creatures in it.
Lake Tuz is one of the biggest flamingo breeding grounds in the world. Flamingos build little towers out of mud and lay their single egg on top.
Why do they stand on one leg? That's still debated. The strongest explanation is keeping body heat in cold water and balancing with little energy.
To draw it in DrawBird
Follow the flamingo lesson. Draw a long neck, a beak bent downward with a black tip, and very long thin legs. Paint the wing tips black.
Drawing lesson: How to draw a flamingo →
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