A greater flamingo chick was born at Tama Zoo in May 2010 (see the article about the birth). Here).

This time, we'll share an update on the remarkable growth of the chicks.

This year, a total of 15 chicks hatched between May and July. Despite the record-breaking heatwaves of the summer, they have grown so much over the past six months that they are now almost the same size as their parents and can no longer be called chicks.

For a while after hatching, chicks are fed a nutrient-rich food called flamingo milk, secreted by their parents, mouth-to-mouth. To make it easier to receive the liquid flamingo milk, the chicks' beaks are short and straight, but now they have changed to the same thick, curved shape as adult flamingos.
Even when they're the same size as their parents, you can sometimes see them desperately begging for flamingo milk. It's a strange sight at first glance, but perhaps they're still children at heart?

The only visible difference from adult flamingos is their body color. Currently, the chicks' plumage is a pale pinkish-white, but they have dark brown feathers on their wings, and their legs and beaks are black. At first glance, they look like a different species of flamingo. It will take two to three years for their entire body to turn pink after they start eating food that contains the necessary pigments.

Flamingos reach sexual maturity at around three years of age and, during the breeding season, display their beautiful pink bodies in courtship rituals. However, not all individuals find a partner. In fact, flamingos will not attract the opposite sex unless their pink coloration is fully developed.

Recent research has shown that as breeding season approaches, flamingos "make up" their feathers by applying a pigment-containing oil from their uropygial gland near their tail. It seems that both males and females need to look their best to attract mates.

By the way, even chicks born around the same time show subtle differences in size. Generally, males are larger than females, but there are differences in leg length, and their personalities vary as well. Some never get close to the staff, while others approach without fear. They may look the same, but their personalities are very diverse.

If this year's chicks find good partners in a few years, we'll have even more unique and colorful companions. Please keep an eye on the chicks as they grow and their colors change day by day.

- From Tokyo Zoo Net BB's videos
"Greater flamingo chick growing (Photo taken in July 2010)

Photo above: Approximately 1-2 months after hatching
Photo below: Approximately 6 months after hatching

[Tama Zoo, Tama Zoological Park]

(November 19, 2010)