List of Southern African Birds - Flamingoes

Flamingoes

Order: Phoenicopteriformes. Family: Phoenicopteridae

Flamingoes are gregarious wading birds, usually 3–5 feet in height, found in both the Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. They are more numerous in the latter. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume, and are uniquely used upside-down. There are six species worldwide, two in Southern Africa.

  • Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber roseus
  • Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor

Read more about this topic:  List Of Southern African Birds