1. Flamingos are born with grey feathers, which gradually turn pink in the wild because of a natural pink dye called canthaxanthin that they obtain from their diet of brine shrimp and blue-green algae.
2. The Chilean flamingo originates from central Peru, Boliva, Argentine and Chile. The word flamingo originates from the Portuguese language and means ‘red goose’.
3. Phoenicopterus chilensis (the chilean flamingo) is listed as Near Threatened because it is suspected that it will undergo a moderately rapid population decline over the next three generations owing to egg-harvesting, hunting, disturbance and the degradation of its habitat.
4. Proposed Conservation efforts: Extend and continue simultaneous surveys during the breeding season to monitor population. Introduce measures to control intensive egg-harvesting.
