Flamingo October 2012
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Animal of the Month © National Geographic Flamingo October 2012 11/19/2012 Flamingo Phoenicopterus spp. 1. Conservation Status: Andean, Chilean & Caribbean are threatened – Range: Bahamas, West Indies, Mexican Yucatan, Northern areas of South America and the Galapagos Islands. Sometimes found in the Coastal US. 2. Size – Weight: 8 -9lbs9 lbs – Height: 36 to 50 inches tall with a wingspan of up to 60 inches – The males and females look very much alike, but typically the males are larger. 3. Social Structure: – Flamingos are very social birds. They feed, lounge and fly in flocks. In flight they will use different formations to take advantage of varying wind conditions. 4. Reproduction: – Flamingos build nests in mud banks. The nests are conical, and approximately 12” in height to avoid flooding and overheating. – Flamingos lay a single egg which is attended to by both parents. – After hatching, the chick will stay in the nest for up to 12 days. During the time in the nest the chick is fed “crop milk”. This is a substance produced in the upper digestive tract of both males and females. It is not uncommon for other birds in the group to feed the offspring. 5. Behavior – Nocturnal vs . Diurnal: Both, as needed . Flamingos spend much of the day feeding and migrate when necessary to new locations at night. – Shy vs. Curious: Flamingos are skittish and will fly away when disturbed. – Land speed: Flamingos only run when they are getting ready to take off for flight. They most likely cannot maintain speed for a long period of time. – Un ique Be hav iors: The Car ibbean an d Chilean fl ami ngos of ten ob tai n f ood b y upendi ng or pl aci ng th ei r h ead und er water with their tail feathers in the air much like a duck. 11/19/2012 Flamingo Phoenicopterus spp. 6. Captivity – Frequency in captivity: Common – Noteworthy exhibits: • SeaWorld San Diego, Flamingo Lagoon: – Refbihdfurbished exhibit 2012 – 4100sf total exhibit, 825sf pool – 160+ birds – Renovation by PGAV • San Diego Zoo’s Lost Forest Flamingo: – Original “Flamingo Lagoon” opened 7/28/1954; Updated to Lost Forest Flamingo in April 2003 – Original Started with 22 American and Chilean Flamingos. Currently at 100+ birds • Woodland Park Zoo, Chilean Flamingos in the Temperate Forest : – Shared Exhibit – 6000 gallon shallow pool – Opened May 2008 – Started with 27 – Other Captivity Info: The lifespan of Flamingos in captivity reaches 50 years this is compared to 25-30 years in the wild. 7. Recommended or Reqqyuired Husbandry Guidelines: – AZA & EAZA Recommended (2008) • Area (indoor holding or outdoor exhibit): – 15 sf / bird overall – 10 sf / bird area for nesting (soil substrate) • PlPool – Big enough for all birds to enter – Depth 1-3’, but deeper areas allow birds to fully swim – Gentle slope entry / exit (max. 1:12 recommended by PGAV) 11/19/2012 Flamingo Phoenicopterus spp. – Barriers • Outdoor barriers: Can be minimal; Fences and walls work best. PGAV recommends 3’ vertical. • Indoor barriers: Solid wall to 6’, then mesh above to ceiling. – Air Temperatures: Cold hardy to 24 deg F; Maintain min. 50 deg F indoors 8.Enrihichment Tec hihniques: – Zoo Approved • Foods/feeding – Provide access to naturally-occurring foods/organisms in the local environment – Krill (small shrimp) is a popular food enrichment item: » Frozen krill can function as a food reward for operant conditioning, as shown by researchers at the Bronx Zoo » Live krill (deposited into the flamingos’ pond) are a special treat for the flamingos at the Houston Zoo – Other food items: a range of small whole prey such as copepods and aquatic insect larvae , as well as duckweed (Lemna sp.), chopped greens, and algae species • Environment – Provide appropriate exhibit pools » Allow for feeding on the bottom of a natural (or naturalized) lake or water feature – much of their prey in t he w ild resid es i n th e mud of lklake-bottoms – Special exhibit features » Audiotapes of flamingo vocalizations have been used to stimulate breeding as well as to encourage new or sick birds to eat. » Mirrors have been used in some institutions to stimulate small flocks to breed. The mirrors are supposed to fool the birds into thinking that the flock is much larger than it actually is » Fountains have been used in several exhibits. They should be designed to allow the birds to bathe in them and to eliminate trip hazards. 11/19/2012 Flamingo Phoenicopterus spp. • Social – Provide for a sizeable number of birds, as these are social birds that like to live in groups. In the wild, groups of flamingos can number in the thousands or tens of thousands. – Other Untested Ideas • Consider exhibit rotation – moving the flamingos to different lakes or water features throughout the zoo . If the flamingos occupy one large lake (as at the St. Louis Zoo), look at moving their feeding stations/etc. to other sections of the lake. • Provide additional opportunities for foraging with the use of foraging toys/devices, or bury special treats (like krill) in the mud at the bottom of their pool. Flamingos nesting (© Jim Frimmer) Feeding behavior (© Douanita via ZooChat.com) 11/19/2012 Bibliography Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), in Cooperation with the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT). "Flamingo Husbandry Guidelines." 2008. Flamingo Resource Centre. Ed. Chris Brown and Catherine King. Print. 8 November 2012. Can be found here: <http://www.flamingoresources.org/docs/literature/aza_eaza_flamingo_husbandry_guidelines.pdf>. Flamingos-World “Flamingos in Captivity.” Flamingos-World. Flamingos-World, 2009. Web. 08 November 2012. <http://www.flamingos-world.com/flamingos-in-captivity.html >. Houston Zoo. "Avian Enrichment: Flamingo Flock Gets Krill." 17 February 2012. The Official Houston Zoo Blog. Web. 8 November 2012 . <http://houstonzooblogs .org/zoo/2011/02/avian -enrichment-flamingo-flock-gets-krill/>. National Geographic. “Greater Flamingo.” National Geographic. National Geographic, 2012. Web. 30 October 2012. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/greater-flamingo/>. New Hampshire Public Television. “Greater Flamingo-Phoenicopterus ruber.” Nature Works. New Hampshire Public Television 2011. Web. 10 October 2012. <http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/flamingo.htm>. San Diego Zoo “Flamingos: A Flamboyant Welcome.” San Diego Zoo. San Diego Zoo, 2012. Web. 08 November 2012. <http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/2011/05/13/feline-fun/>. Zoological Society History “San Diego Zoo History.” San Diego Zoo. San Diego Zoo, 2010. Web. 08 November 2012. <http://library.sandiegozoo.org/history.htm>. Zoological Society of San Diego. “Birds: Flamingos.” San Diego Zoo. San Diego Zoo, 2012. Web . 19 November 2012. <http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-flamingo.html>. 11/19/2012.