A great flamingo.
Phoenicopterus roseus, the greater flamingo, is one of the most wide-spread and well-known of the six species. Occurring in many parts of Africa as well as closer to home in Europe (large populations exist in southern France and in Spain), greater flamingos will travel widely between feeding sites in search of aquatic crustaceans that make up the bulk of their diet. Greater flamingos are tall, imposing birds with an overall pale pink to white plumage, and then bright pink flashes on their wings, a pastel pink and black bill and bright pink legs. Common in captivity, greater flamingos are generally very good breeders and hence you'll be very likely to see nesting birds and chicks on a visit to a WWT centre that houses these birds. Like all flamingos, greaters build a tall mud mound on which to place a large, white, chalky egg. Currently the greater flamingos are sitting on eggs at WWT Slimbridge so be sure to stop by and take a peak on your next visit.
