International Flamingo Day

International Flamingo Day

Saturday, April 26th marks International Flamingo Day, a vibrant celebration of one of nature’s most iconic birds. Here at Roger Williams Park Zoo, we’re home to our resident Chilean flamingos native to South America.

Did you know there are six flamingo species worldwide? Our Chilean flamingos, share their Andean Highland habitat with the Andean and Puna (James’s) flamingos. Sadly, these Andean Highland species face increasing threats, primarily habitat loss and hunting, leading to their “near threatened” status.

The culprit? Our very own technology. Lithium, essential for powering our smartphones and devices, is mined from the wetland habitat (salars) these flamingos call home.

Make the Pledge!

We invite you to join us in protecting these remarkable birds this International Flamingo Day. By pledging to extend the lifespan of your electronic devices, you can directly reduce the demand for new lithium mining, safeguarding the flamingos’ fragile ecosystem.

Roger Williams Park Zoo is a proud partner with the SAFE Andean Highland Flamingo program and supports the recovery and conservation of Andean, Chilean, and Puna (James’s) flamingos through research, public engagement, training, community outreach, and education.

Marvels of Adaptation

Beyond their iconic pink plumage, these birds possess remarkable adaptations. Chilean flamingos can tolerate a variety of extreme temperatures, efficiently filter food through their specialized beaks, are powerful swimmers and even undertake impressive flights of nearly 400 miles in a single night.

Fun Facts to Ponder:

• Notice those bright pink “ankles” (not knees!) that distinguish them from their grey legs.

• Their unique shallow-keeled bill, equipped with coarse bristles (lamellae), filters out tiny food particles from the water.

• They get their pink coloring from carotenoid pigment consumed through their food.

• They inhabit coastal and marine wetlands as well as high mountain lakes.