Flamingo diary
Flamingos are one of the most popular animals exhibited in animal collections. If you’re keen to learn more about them and delve deeper in the ways in which WWT keeps its flamingos then follow Paul's diary up-to-date with all things flamingo. Paul Rose is a PhD student from the University of Exeter’s Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, currently based in the Conservation Programmes Directorate at WWT, who is investigating the social behaviour of captive flamingo flock
Baby boom in Flamingo Lagoon!
There are currently several grey fluffy bundles wandering around the nesting areas in Flamingo Lagoon, and many more either hatching or about to hatch under protective parents. The nesting colony of greater flamingos is quite obliging in that some of them
5 June 2015
The new lessers are go!
You may remember that back in the autumn of 2014 I wrote about five new lesser flamingos that had joined the WWT Slimbridge flock from a zoo that had recently closed down. These birds have settled in well over the past few months and, although quiet and o
27 May 2015
Happy Andeans!
Just a brief post about some interesting behaviour, inspired (!?) by the rain of late. Not the nicest of weather to be out doing behavioural research but it can bring out the best in the birds, believe it or not! What's go
18 May 2015
Two for the price of one!
If you're planning on visiting WWT Slimbridge any time soon, make sure you swing by the greater flamingo flock in Flamingo Lagoon because the nesting season is looking very exciting this year. Not only is there a large group of nesting birds at the fro
14 May 2015
More flamingo watchers for 2015
I am joined this spring and summer by two new MSc Animal Behaviour students from the University of Exeter who are investigating the Caribbean, Chilean and greater flamingo flocks for their research projects, and thus contributing to the data collection fo
5 May 2015
Colour!
I don't need to give any more of an explanation to the title really. It's what flamingos do best. Especially at this time of year, when all birds are looking especially vibrant. We know that the colour comes from their food and we know that without being
14 April 2015
Bank Holiday flamingos!
The weather at WWT Slimbridge today is amazing. And the sunshine is most unexpected but really welcome. There are crowds of people flocking in to see the flamingos, and they always look at their best in this sort of weather (the birds, that is!). Sunshi
6 April 2015
Check out the Chileans!
With the longer days, the Chileans have kicked off their courtship display with a real gusto and you can currently get some awesome views of the birds dancing right up close to the public paths in the South American Pen. This is happening at its best in t
29 March 2015
Don't avoid the Andeans!
A few weeks back I talked about the wonderful world of the lesser flamingo, this time it is the awesome adventures of the Andeans. This flock is putting on a great display at the moment with lots of exciting courtship behaviour for visitors to enjoy. Th
14 March 2015
That's a lot of greater flamingos!
Today there was a catch and health check of the greater flamingo flock at WWT Slimbridge. This is the first time that the flock have been caught up in their new exhibit that opened in 2012, and it was important to assess the condition of the birds, t
4 March 2015
Don't walk past the lessers!
The lesser flamingos really are worth more than a second glance. Especially at this time of year when they look so beautiful. You can get some lovely close-up views of the this flock at present as they are inside their house, and the birds are very obligi
1 March 2015
In the pink! And very bright (part 2)
In my last post I mentioned that I had more to say on the subject of flamingo love over this Valentine's Day period. Well this post is less about love in a romantic sense, and more about love in a caring, nurturing, parenting sense. And I have Sparky to t
15 February 2015
In the pink! And very bright (part 1)
Hello flamingo followers, a quick February update. If you haven't been down to Slimbridge recently to see the flamingos then you're missing out on a sea of bright pink plumage. In some of the more colourful species (i.e. those that are not just one shade
10 February 2015
Flamingos at the Festival of Birds 2015
In spite of the potential for freezing weather and the flurries of snow elsewhere in the country, the flamingos were out and about and able to put on a good show for this year's Festival of Birds. The only flock to kept inside being the lessers, who being
31 January 2015
A flirty start to 2015!
There's much activity going on with the flamingos at WWT Slimbridge since the start of the new year. Birds seem to be getting right into the swing of things for this year's coming breeding season and the greater and Caribbean flocks have really notched up
13 January 2015