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Location:

In open exhibit on Inner Africa trail between Grevy Zebra and Spotted-Necked Otter.

Greater Flamingo

**New flamingo chick hatched 4/29/2025 (?)


As of 12/8/2024: 

  • 23 males

  • 28 females

  • 3 hatched on exhibit in 2022 

  • 5 hatched in 2023

  • 6 hatched in 2024

  • Some have names - as listed below

Identifying Features:

Identified by numbered leg bands - for most, right for male & left for female. Many do not have names. Older unnamed individuals hatched between 1999 & 2018.

  • Beavis (F) 6/16/2009 - Left metal 77, Right white 08

  • McFly (M) 5/16/2019 - Right black 01 

  • Goose (M) 5/18/2019 - Right black 04

  • Maverick (M) 5/18/2019 - Right black 05

  • Grimace (M) 5/19/2019 - Right black 06, purple wrap

  • Bwbach /boobach/ (M) 5/22/2019 - Right black 09, brown wrap

  • Gryffin (M) 5/23/2019 - Right black 11, white wrap

  • Ella Rose (F) 5/17/2019 - Left black 02, orange wrap

  • Rio (F) 5/18/2019 - Left black 03, yellow wrap

  • Kirby (F) 5/20/2019 - Left black 07, pink wrap

  • Bucket (F) 5/22/2019 - Left black 08, gray wrap

  • Kiernan (F) 5/23/2019 - Left black 10, black wrap

Hatched on exhibit at the Phoenix Zoo 2022 & 2023:

  • Ichabod (M) 7/11/2022 - Right metal 10, Left yellow 28

  • (M) 7/21/2022 - Right metal 54, Left yellow 26

  • Piper (F) 7/13/2022 - Left metal 71, Right yellow 27

  • Val (F) 2/13/2023 - Left metal 6, Right black 12

  • (F) 3/4/2023 - Left metal 11, Right black 13

  • (F) 5/5/2023 - Left metal ACNC 001, Right black 14

  • (F) 5/13/2023 - Left metal ACNC 002, Right black 15

  • (F) 5/18/2023 - Left metal ACNC 003, Right black 16

2024 Babies: 4/24/2024, 4/27/2024, 4/27/2024, 4/28/2024, 4/29/20204, 5/1/2024, 5/1/2024, 5/4/2024, 5/6/2024, 5/7/2024 (currently still have 6 of these)

History:

  • 12 chicks from San Diego arrived in Phoenix in May 2019 per SSP recommendation. Chicks hatched from 5/16 to 5/23. Hand reared to get them accustomed to people. 

  • 4.4 adults arrived from the San Diego Safari Park on 2/24/2020 and were integrated with the flock on exhibit. 

  • Successfully bred and hatched 3 chicks in 2022 (first ever for Phoenix Zoo). 

  •  2023 - 5 hatched and survived!

More Information:

  • Greater flamingos carry their coloring in their skin. Notice the very pink legs, as well as the pink of the beak.

  • Guests often think the flamingos are not getting proper nutrients due to their pale pink color. There are 6 species of flamingos that vary in intensity of color. Many people are used to seeing Caribbean Flamingos, which are a much deeper pink. (See flamingo species chart below)

  • #11 Gryffin independently hatched and fostered one of the chicks hatched in July 2022. Although his mate did not lay an egg, Gryffin had been sitting on a nest. Another flamingo had laid 2 eggs, so Gryffin was given one of those eggs.

  • According to one of our keepers, the flamboyance needs at least 35 individuals to breed. We received 11 chicks from the San Diego Zoo in May 2019, bringing our group to 37 individuals.

  • Greater Flamingo is the largest and most widespread species of flamingo

  • Get color from carotenoid pigments in shrimp, algae, microscopic organisms

  • Filter feeders

  • Breed more sucessfully in large groups



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