Love Your Flamingos

24 May 2014

This week, the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) is holding its annual initiative "Love Your Zoo" week. All WWT Centres that hold collections of exotic water birds are members of BIAZA. Testament to the excellent standards of care that the birds receive. The flamingos kept by WWT are brilliant ambassadors for their wild counterparts and at this time of year you will see loads of amazing and interesting behaviours to give you an extra special insight into their lives. These interesting behaviours and close encounters are the reasons why the Slimbridge birds are so good for biological research, especially concerning how and when flamingos make babies.

Here's a brief "end of May" summary from each group.

Chilean flamingos: as squabbly and short-tempered as ever. But this is good. As the birds are starting to claim more and more mud mounds, it spurs them to into a breeding frenzy. Keep arguing guys!

Caribbean flamingos: the warm weather plus a little rain has brought on much excitement amongst the birds and several have started to nest build. These guys normally commence breeding in June so it's all going right on track so far. Let's hope the sunshine continues and many more birds get spurred on.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm3_6gvNA9s&list=UUp41rC1pWyYfO5RLXe6VUMg&index=2']

Greater flamingos: have gone crazy! A record number of eggs this year so far and proof that they really do love their new enormous enclosure. Keep a weather eye out for new arrivals any time soon! We think that this enclosure at WWT Slimbridge is one of the few places anywhere in the world that gets you right into the heart of a breeding colony. The birds are incubating their precious eggs (soon to be chicks) within only a few feet of visitors.

Any closer and you'd be helping these greater flamingo parents sit on their (wooden) egg! Flamingo Lagoon gives an unprecedented view of life in a flamingo colony.

Lesser flamingos: lots of nest building going on at present. Five birds have been really going for it over the last couple of days. Again, these guys really like the hot sunshine. All of the folks at Slimbridge who have anything to do with the flamingos obsess over any pink bird that starts throwing mud around. It's very exciting when you see them begin to start thinking about making a nests; especially when it's hard-to-breed species like these little guys. The "Watch Out For Flamingos and Mud Club". It's a very unique society to be in!

Come on small pink birds! Let's keep this going and get some eggs too!

Andean flamingos: what can I say apart from wow! Courtship display? Every day last week. Nest building? Still going on. Chance of babies? Well, I cannot possibly jinx this but just enjoy this spectacle of marching up and down. which can only been seen at Slimbridge or if you wish to trek all of the way out of South America too.