Birds
Chilean Flamingo
Phoenicopterus chilensis · also called Chilean flamingos
Filtering tiny crustaceans from a remote salt lake with its bill held upside down, a Chilean flamingo breeds further south than any other flamingo species on Earth, its pink plumage borrowed entirely from the pigments in its own food.
Overview
The Chilean flamingo, Phoenicopterus chilensis, is a Near Threatened waterbird native to wetland and coastal habitat across Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, and parts of Brazil. Its status as the world’s southernmost-breeding flamingo species, its distinctive grey-and-pink legs, and its specialised upside-down filter-feeding technique make it one of the more visually striking and geographically notable flamingo species found anywhere in the world.
A flamingo built for the cold end of the range
While flamingos are generally associated with warm, tropical wetlands, the Chilean flamingo has pushed further south than any relative, breeding in colonies that tolerate conditions far cooler than most people picture when they imagine a flamingo’s habitat.
Status
Near Threatened, having declined in parts of its range due to habitat disturbance and water extraction from the lakes and lagoons it depends on.
Chilean Flamingo: common questions
Why is the Chilean flamingo notable among flamingos?
This species breeds further south than any other flamingo species in the world, with colonies reaching into cooler latitudes of southern South America unlike most other flamingo species.
How does the Chilean flamingo get its pink colour?
This species gets its pink colouring from pigments in the small crustaceans and algae it eats, rather than producing the colour itself, a trait shared with all flamingo species.
How can you identify a Chilean flamingo?
This species has distinctively grey legs marked with pink joints, a feature that helps separate it from other South American flamingo species with more uniformly pink legs.
Why is the Chilean flamingo considered Near Threatened?
This species has declined in parts of its range due to habitat disturbance and water extraction from the salt lakes and lagoons it depends on for feeding and breeding.