A new study carried out by the University of Exeter and WWT Slimbridge Wetland Center, both in the United Kingdom, suggests that the typical pink color of flamingos is not at all soft, as they have found that the pinkest flamingos are the most hardy : it is a sign of how aggressive it is when feeding, as well as a great indicator of good health or that it is ready to reproduce.
For the work, published in the journal Ethology , the researchers observed the behavior of flamingos in captivity of Slimbridge in different feeding situations ranging from small indoor spaces to large outdoor spaces, with or without a body of water. They found that flamingos with plenty of space by the outdoor pool spent twice as much time foraging for food and half the time exhibiting aggressive behaviors compared to birds that were indoors competing to feed from a bowl or bowl.
It seems that small changes to the way zoos and sanctuaries feed their flamingos can keep them happy and colorful.
“Color plays an important role”, comments Paul Rose, co-author of the work. The color comes from food carotenoids, which for lesser flamingos are mainly algae that seep from the water.
” A healthy flamingo that feeds well will have colorful feathers, more time and energy to be aggressive and dominant when feeding . When birds have to band together for food and fight more, they spend less time feeding.”
Referencia: What influences aggression and foraging activity in social birds? Measuring individual, group and environmental characteristics. Paul Rose Laura Soole First published: 08 June 2020 Ethology DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/eth.13067
