Flamingo Chicks Named After US Presidents at Lion Country Safari
July 12, 2013
Lion Country Safari in Florida welcomed three new baby Flamingo chicks that hatched on July 1, 2, and 4. Since safari staff flew up to Washington's Smithsonian National Zoo to pick up the eggs, and the hatchings occurred on and just before Independence Day, keepers are naming them all after United States Presidents. So far they have named hatchlings Washington, Lincoln, and Truman.
Flamingo chicks grow quickly, their long spindly legs shooting up so fast that it's a trick to strengthen them enough to hold up the birds' gray fuzzy bodies. So parents (or keepers, if they are being hand-raised) take them for daily walks and swims to become strong. It is quite a sight to see a group of little Flamingo chicks on a walk, flapping their little wings and wobbling to and fro. These birds are strong though rare swimmers and powerful fliers, even though they're most often seen just wading.
Photo Credit: Lion Country Safari
A chick's bill is small and straight, but will develop the distinct "break" curve after a few months. Flamingo chicks are born gray or white and take up to three years to reach their mature pink, orange, or red plumage; the color is caused by carotenoid pigments in their food, and a flamingo's diet includes shrimp, plankton, algae, and crustaceans.
Say hello to one of the wobbly hatchlings, seen in the video below: