Caribbean and Greater Flamingos

SCZ is home to two species of flamingo- the Caribbean flamingo and the greater flamingo. Caribbean flamingos get their bright pink color from the shrimp that they eat. Caribbean flamingos secrete a pigment through a gland near their tail. As they preen their feathers, they spread this pigment, changing their color from a pale pink to almost red. Greater Flamingos are the largest species of flamingo. They use their feet to stir up the mud in shallow waters. Flamingos then suck water through their bills, filtering out the mud and leaving only a mouthful of mollusks, shrimp, and algae.