Breeding bonanza update

13 May 2014

"Look at our lovely eggs". Two greater flamingos tend to their wooden eggs the same as they would incubate their actual one. The real egg gets given back to them as soon as it shows signs of being ready to hatch.

Some of the good weather we've had, plus a little rain (ignore the hurricane strength winds this past week) have created good conditions for some of the other flocks to mooch around with mud and sand, and start having a go at nest building. Apart from the greater flamingos, which are breeding machines at present, it is still a little too early for some of the other species to really get into the swing of breeding. Although the Caribbean flamingos are non-stop courtship display at the moment. In fact, visitors to the restaurant have been treated to dancing all day, every day for the past month or so. Keep watching this flock closely as this will soon translate into nest building and then egg laying.

No, it's not a burst water main. Or someone in desperate need of the loo... The avics like to closely regulate the water levels around the flamingo nest mounds to get the mud and sand to the right stickiness. A sure way to get the birds in the mood for making mud pies!

To help them along, Phil and Mo sprayed several areas of the enclosure where the birds like to build nests with plenty of water, creating lots of lovely, gooey mud for the flamingos to use as the foundation of their nest mounds. I have mentioned the architectural prowess of flamingos many times before but it still never ceases to amaze just how good these lanky, pink birds are at creating huge turrets to place their eggs and young on. You can see some pretty massive nests in the greater flamingo pen nest island at the moment, as the birds have really gone to town at improving the original structures made for them.

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The greater flamingos have been excavating lots around their nest mounds and have managed to build them up to quite a height. Compare to the original height mound at the front of this photo. Move over Bob the Builder!

And exciting news from South America too! The Chilean flamingos have also began to scratch and scrabble around their nest island. Nothing too intense yet, but this is a good sign and with several pairs squabbling and chrysanthemuming over specific mounds it shouldn't be too long before other pairs get "jealous" and want to think about claiming their own space. This territorial streak is important as when a pair of flamingos claims its spot, it means that it is prepared to invest in nest building because it (they) then feel comfortable and secure enough to raise a chick.

Spot the flouncy birds in the middle of the photo. The raised feathers and tall postures show that these Chilean flamingos are getting stroppy with each other over who gets what nest site. The first time I have seen that this year so far. It's a good sign for things to come.

And some even more interesting South American news... One Andean flamingo has been seen playing around with mud, leaves and sand. Let's not read too much in to this or cross that many fingers but 2014 has seen the most courtship behave from this flock in a long time. Much marching again today and yesterday (in the afternoon) and several males pushing and shoving females around (in the nicest possible way!) t0 get them to think about letting them mate. So I will leave you with that little titbit and get you all to channel your most hopeful thoughts into making summer 2014 one of many, many baby flamingos at WWT Slimbridge!