Notable birds to look out for... the tall Caribbean.
I thought I would have a go at introducing "notable flamingos" for visitors to WWT Slimbridge to have a look out for on their visits to the site. These could be birds that are specifically active or tell an interesting story. I have already been wittering on a lot about "Mr James", the Trust's grand old resident but there are many more special birds that can be picked out if you have time. So to start off, a short but sweet post on a Caribbean flamingo to keep an eye out for on your next visit to Slimbridge. "RFS" (the leg ring code of this bird) is a very tall flamingo, potentially a male based on its general height and stature that hatched at WWT Slimbridge in 1981. So this is a fairly young, but mature and steady flamingo. He (and let's go with the male assumption!) has been around for a few breeding seasons now so will understand the changes in season that signal when to start courting. His height and plumage colour give an idea that he is in good condition and has come through the winter with no problems. This bird has been making a real show of itself of late, strutting around the enclosure and getting (or trying to get) all of the other birds into the swing of things for courtship displays. The Caribbean flamingos have been displaying frequently over the past couple of weeks. Perhaps they can sense a change is on the way with the weather. Although with the cold and snow of late their meteorological knowledge may be slightly awry!
The Caribbean flamingos have been showing off right at the front of their enclosure lately, offering very good views of the birds as they come nearer to those visitors sat in the restaurant. Look out for birds stretching up as tall as they can; this is a sure sign that they are trying to "head flag", a group courtship display that is used to encourage all birds in the flock to think about breeding at the same time. They make a very noisy spectacle and can be heard from a considerable distance when they all start to display together!
