Andean flamingo

The Andean flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus) is a special kind of flamingo that lives in the high mountains called the Andes in South America. These birds used to be grouped with other flamingos in a different way, but scientists changed that in 2014. Now, the Andean flamingo is very close to another type of flamingo called the James's flamingo, and together they belong to a special group named Phoenicoparrus.

There are three kinds of flamingos that live in the same places, including the Chilean flamingo. The Andean flamingo, James's flamingo, and the Chilean flamingo all live together in big groups called colonies. These groups sometimes share places where they build their nests. Flamingos are known for their pink feathers and long legs, and the Andean flamingo is one of the smallest kinds.

Distribution, habitat, and movements

The Andean flamingo lives in the wetlands of the high Andes mountains, from southern Peru to northwestern Argentina and northern Chile. These flamingos can travel very far — up to 700 miles in just one day! In the summer, they stay in salt lakes, but in the winter, they move to lower wetlands. We think they do this because the salt flats get very dry in the winter.

When it's time to have babies, they mostly gather in northern Chile, southwestern Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina. After the breeding season, some stay close to where they had their babies, while others fly to lower wetlands and lakes. Some even travel to the central plains of Argentina, or all the way north through the Andes to southern Peru. They've been seen as far north as Conococha in central Peru, along the coast of Peru and northern Chile, in parts of Brazil near the Amazon, southern Argentina, and even coastal southern Brazil.

Description

The Andean flamingo is a large bird that lives in the Andes mountains of South America. It is one of the heaviest flamingos, with a body weight ranging from 1.5 to 4.9 kg (3.3 to 10.8 lb). These birds have a pale pink body, with brighter pink feathers on the lower neck and chest. They are special because they are the only flamingo with yellow legs and three-toed feet.

Young Andean flamingos have gray feathers, while adults have pink feathers with black wings that show as a bold black triangle when folded. Fossils of this flamingo have been found in the Salar de Atacama area, dating back to around 3,000 to 2,200 years ago.

Main article: greater flamingo

Behavior

Feeding

Andean flamingos are filter feeders, which means they eat by filtering small particles from water. They eat a variety of foods, including fish, small animals without backbones, plants, and tiny algae. They mainly eat diatoms, which are microscopic plants, from the bottom of lakes. Their special bill shape helps them catch these tiny food particles.

These flamingos search for food in shallow, salty water. They can change their feeding style depending on the other flamingos they are with. However, scientists still have much to learn about exactly how they find their food.

Vocalization

Not much is known about the sounds Andean flamingos make. They are known to make three different types of calls. One is a high-pitched, short peep, often made in quick series. Another is a short, rough quack-like sound, often heard when they are flying. The third is a quiet, conversational chuckle made up of short, low-pitched notes.

Status and conservation

The Andean flamingo is considered a vulnerable species because mining and human activities change its habitat.

Mining changes the flamingo's habitat. Mining takes place at the end of the summer rainy season. The flamingo's habitat has boron compounds, including borax. Borax can harm animals, causing problems, but does not affect humans. Mining near flamingo nesting and feeding sites can scare them away. Mining also makes the environment muddy, which can trap flamingos. Mining takes water from the lakes where flamingos find food, making less water available.

In addition to mining, human activities such as collecting eggs and tourism also affect the flamingos. Egg collecting happens because of high demand for flamingo eggs in other countries. Unregulated tourism builds up land that flows into the lake, making less space for flamingos to feed. Building roads and other structures into the flamingos' habitat makes it easier for more mining and tourism to happen, which harms the flamingos.

Conservation plans are being made to help the Andean flamingo. In September 2010, it was declared endangered and is protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Many areas where flamingos live are national parks, but some important areas are not protected. Groups are working on plans to solve problems from mining and egg collecting. Education programs are being created to inform people about protecting the flamingos. The Flamingo Specialist Group shares updates on flamingo populations. An agreement called the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Conservation of High Andean Flamingos and their Habitats was made to help protect these birds in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.