Greater flamingos spend much of their day wading about with their heads upside down, filtering food from the waters of lakes and lagoons. They can be distinguished from lesser flamingos by their larger size, paler plumage and pink bills.
Scientific name: Phoenicopterus roseus
Rank: Species
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Monsoon sea
Flamingos feed in a temporary sea created by the monsoon.
Flamingos feed in a temporary sea created by the monsoon.
Flamingos in France
Flamingos migrate to the Camargue to breed.
Flamingos migrate to the Camargue to breed.
Flamingo courtship
Flamingos join together in a spectacular courtship dance.
Every few years, when food and water conditions are perfect, flamingos join together in a magical, stately mass courtship dance.
The Greater flamingo can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Asia, Europe, Indian subcontinent, Madagascar, Mediterranean, Russia. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Greater flamingo distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Year assessed: 2009
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of Africa, southern Asia (coastal regions of Pakistan and India), and southern Europe (including Spain, Albania, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, Italy and the Camargue region of France). Some populations are short distance migrants, and sightings north of the breeding range are relatively frequent; however, given the species' popularity in captivity, whether or not these are truly wild individuals is a matter of some debate. A single bird was seen on North Keeling Island (Cocos (Keeling) Islands) in 1988.
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