These mostly pink, tall long-legged wading birds are unmistakeable. Pink head, pale iris and large chunky pale bill with black and pink tip. Long, slender and curved pink neck and pink body. Extremely long, dull pink legs, brightest at joints. In flight, black and pink wings. Sexes similar. Juvenile pale whitish overall with dark eye, pale bill and black streaks on wings. American Flamingo is the only naturally occurring flamingo in North America, but there can be escapees: Eurasian subspecies: paler overall with pink bill and black tip. Chilean Flamingo: paler overall with pale bill and extensive black tip; shorter, grayer legs with contrasting pink joints. Lesser Flamingo: Smaller and shorter than American Flamingo with bright red legs and dark bill with red spot.

Length: 117 (cm) Wingspan: 152 (cm)

Habitat:

Broad expanses of shallow water, often salt plains covered in water.

Behavior:

Runs while taking off. Forages by walking with head and neck stretched down, swinging bill side to side and filtering water through bill, capturing tiny creatures on comb-like tongue.

Feeding:

Diet consists of tiny aquatic creatures.