Photos were taken at the Ft. Worth Zoo, except the one contributed by Providence Photography which Ryan took at the San Diego Zoo.

Why Pink?? The word "flamingo" stems from the Latin word meaning flame. Flamingos obtain their pink/orange/reddish coloration from what they eat. A diet high in carotenoid pigments (same stuff in carrots) gives the flamingo feathers their trademark coloration. Young chicks are pale to white in color and it is believed that flamingos won’t mate until they obtain their color. Love Pairs: This photo is courtesy of Ryan Herring & Providence Photography. Flamingo pairs bond for breeding and have been known to mate within that pair bond for several breeding seasons. Both parents participate in raising the young chick. If you ever have the opportunity to watch flamingos in their synchronized performance of breeding rituals you’ll no doubt be amused with the head-flag, wing-salute and twist-preen conducted by the group. Backwards Knees?! From looking at this photo you may think that flamingos’ knees can bend backwards. Actually, those are the flamingo’s ankles! His knees are located higher up the leg, hidden in the feathers.