Why Are Flamingos Pink?

Imagine a baby flamingo. Is it a small pink bird? Not yet! Young flamingos have white or grey feathers. Their famous colour comes later, and food is an important part of the change.

Flamingos eat things such as small shrimp and algae, tiny living things in water. This food contains natural colours called pigments. Some of these pigments help make the birds’ feathers pink.

Eating is interesting too. The bird turns its head upside down in the water. Its beak works like a filter: water flows out, but small pieces of food stay inside.

There are six species, or types, of flamingo. They do not all look exactly the same. When you see these birds, look at more than their long legs. Their colours can tell a story about what they eat.