If you’ve ever been to a zoo and seen the flamingos exhibit, then you already know that flamingos are pink in color.
In fact, it is well known that flamingos are pink as a result of their diet. And if they change their diet, then they lose that pink hue.
But is pink the only color that flamingos can be?
You may wonder – do black flamingos exist? Or blue flamingos?
We’re here to answer this question once and for all.
Are There Blue Flamingos?
You may have seen some talk on the internet about a rare blue flamingo.
Is it true that flamingos can be blue? No.
There are no known cases in history of blue flamingos.
This is just a myth perpetuated by people on the internet.
Do Black Flamingos Exist?
While there is no such thing as a blue flamingo, there existence of black flamingos is a true one.
That’s right.
Yes, black flamingos do exist, but they are very rare.
In fact, only two have ever been seen, though some people think it is really just one that was seen in two different locations.
An extremely rare black flamingo, thought to be only one in the world, has been filmed on the island of Cyprus in 2015.
Only one other black flamingo has ever been spotted in the wild before and that was in Israel in 2013.
Scientists spot what could be the ONLY black flamingo in the whole world http://t.co/RSGcBLVpAp pic.twitter.com/Gj9CMRtvSS
— Metro (@MetroUK) April 11, 2015
The bird’s unusual plumage comes from a genetic condition called melanism, which causes excessive pigment to darken feathers.
It’s occasionally seen in hawks and ducks, but has only been observed in a greater flamingo once before, in a bird filmed in Israel in 2013.
Flamingoes can migrate long distances, so it’s “definitely possible,” that the Cyprus sighting is actually the same bird, says Felicity Arengo, a conservationist at the American Museum of Natural History.
Are Yellow Flamingos Real?
If you saw some flamingos in the wild and thought one looked to be yellow in color, then your eyes are not fooling you.
If a flamingo eats the right things, they can appear to be a sort of pale yellow in color.
Coloration of a flamingo’s legs and feet varies according to species – from yellow to orange or pink-red.
The Andean flamingo is the only species that has yellow legs and feet.
Are Rainbow Flamingos Real?
You might be wondering if flamingos come in any other colors.
You may even have seen rainbow colored flamingos online and wonder if those are real.
No, rainbow flamingos are not real.
If you see real live flamingos that are rainbow colored, then it means someone has dyed their feathers.
What Color Are Flamingos When They’re Born?
As you may already know, baby flamingos aren’t born that same right pink as adult flamingos.
Baby flamingos are born grey or white, and turn pink over the first couple of years of their lives.
Final Word
As you can see, there is some variation in color among the various flamingo species, though most of the time you’re only going to see pink flamingos.
But, keep your eyes open for that rare black flamingo in the wild.