Flamingo Diary is back!
It's been a tumultuous few months (and couple of years to be fair!) for the living collections at WWT, what with a global pandemic and a UK-wide Avian Influenza restrictions for their dedicated living collections keepers to contend with, but as spring firmly beds in things are looking brighter. And so it is time to start writing updates on the fabulous flamingos and what they have been up to once again. Welcome to the first Flamingo Diary of 2022!
Regular visitors to WWT Slimbridge and the other WWT sites that house flamingos (Llanelli, Martin Mere and Washington) will know that birds are being kept safe in their indoor houses as the Avian Influenza (AI) protocol dictates. However, with the improved weather and reduced risk of AI, some flocks have been allowed outside in a controlled and monitored way to stretch their legs, get some exercise and enjoy the sunshine. Don't be surprised if the flamingos are still inside on your next visit, it all depends on the weather conditions and assessed risk if they are in their enclosures. The flamingo houses at WWT are spacious and expansive to allow birds the freedom to move around and behave normally- in fact, the flamingos often finish the winter looking plumper and pinker from being inside than when they first went indoors! You can see how beautiful they look in this photo of the WWT Slimbridge Chilean flamingos below. Just check out that glorious salmon pink and tangerine!
When viewing the flamingos in their houses it is always best:
- To move quietly and slowly up to the window.
- To not run towards the birds. You will see more if you let them see you coming.
- To never bang on the glass or try to get the birds to move.
- To always remember that this is the birds' home and we should be respectful of their space.
- To be patient and observe... you will see more if you linger for longer.
Spot the head-flagging in the photo above... Dancing doesn't stop even though the birds are indoors. The WWT flamingo houses are big enough for these important behaviours to continue.
Being patient, quiet and respectful is especially important at the moment as there have been some flamingo moves at WWT Slimbridge. The bright red flock of Caribbean flamingos now live in the old Lesser Flamingo Pen (opposite the greater flamingo flock) with the lesser flamingos moving into the Andean Flamingo Pen. The old Caribbean Flamingo House is in need of structural repairs, so watch this space for future developments.
The Caribbean flamingos have settled in well to the former lesser flamingo house. This was, up until summer 2012, the home of the WWT Slimbridge greater flamingo flock, so it's a useful set-up for their bright pink relatives of a very similar size and shape.
It's no bother for the lesser flamingos to live with the Andean flamingos and Mr James (yes, he is still going strong!) as these species both inhabit a similar niche in the wild (even though they are on different continents) and the gentle nature of the Andean flamingos means they are no bother to their smaller cousins.
If you are lucky to visit on a day when the flamingos are out and about, then you are in for a treat as they really do look in their pinkest best. You can see some examples of the birds enjoying the March sunshine in the photos below.
As pink as pink can be. The colours of the Andean flamingos are truly spectacular at the moment. The flamingos always look at their best during this time of the year. As they go into summer and the breeding season, the pink pigments in their feathers fade. They become a vivid pink at the next moult after summer.
The photo below shows the Andean and lesser flamingos on their first "exercise day" (photo provided by Living Collections deputy manager Phoebe Vaughan).
And below are the Chilean flamingos enjoying a paddle and a splash around. Photo again provided by Phoebe Vaughan.
This year, 2022, is also ten years since the "flamingo friends" research project started at WWT Slimbridge (and more on this in a future blog post), but it's great to see the birds still forming their partnerships and choosing who to hang around with. The Andean flamingos especially, always very particular when it comes to sharing their time with someone else, have been filtering together in their little friendship groups.
Even Mr James has been more sociable than normal! Here he is (bird on the far left) snoozing with some pals in the spring sunshine. It's testament to the hard work and dedication of flamingo keeper Phil, and living collections managers Phoebe and Simon, plus all of the other team members involved in bird care, that these grand old ladies and gentlemen are still with us through the trials and tribulations of Covid-19 and AI restrictions.
I will leave you with a video of the flirty Chilean flamingos and their wonderful head-flagging behaviour. See if you can spot signs of (flamingo) spring on your next visit!
