these children are feeding them food that is provided by putting a quarter in a bubble gum machine full of what looks like rabbit food. What ever it is, the love it, the flamingos and the children.
And speaking of food, the flamingo also has very distinctive eating habits. The bill is held upside down in the water. The flamingo feeds by sucking water and mud in at the front of its bill and then pumping it out again at the sides. Here, briny plates called lamellae act like tiny filters, trapping shrimp and other small water creatures for the flamingo to eat.
when feeding the flamingos at Jungle Gardens, we must be careful, they get in a feeding frenzy and walk on our toes, and have been known to search the body for food or anything they can reach. they think everyone has food hidden on them. What a lark they are.
At the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park, the flamingos are fed a special pellet diet that is made for flamingos. This food has all the nutrients the flamingos need, and even a pigment that helps keep their beautiful color. And to allow the flamingos to eat in their normal way (taking in water and then pumping it back out), a water source just for feeding is near their food so they can get a beak full of water and then food—just like they would in the wild.By swinging their upside-down heads from side to side or swishing water with their fat tongues, flamingos siphon the lake water through their filters to trap algae. They can filter as many as 20 beak full of algae-rich water in a single second.
This unique feeding system gives flamingos a certain security: while they must watch out for predators like jackals or eagles, they compete with no other animals for food. 
Q: Why does a flamingo stand on one leg?A: Because if he lifted that leg off the ground he would fall down !
6 comments:
Extremly interesting. What a hard way to get food down! I am sad to see these flamingo posts come to an end, but I know ther'll be lots of other good stuff on your blog. Florida seems made for bloggers. It looks like you live in Disneyland.
What cute pictures and very interesting. I've enjoyed your Flamingos!
Sunny :)
Wow---I learn so much from this blogging, Sandra. Didn't know about the flamingos eating habits. Interesting!!!! Thanks for sharing.
When I lived in Venice, we'd go to Sarasota (Siesta Key) to collect sharps teeth. AND--since I lived there in the '70's---there was no interstate yet. SO--when we went north, we drove right through Bradenton.
Hugs,
Betsy
Your flamingo photos are amazing. I've never had a chance to see these beautiful birds in private. I am impressed with every photo that you have posted both from this post and the previous one.My words cannot describe how much I like them all. Thanks for sharing
Beautiful photos, the flamingo is such an unusual bird. I had no idea of their feeding habits, I guess that would cut down on competition for food. The kids seem to be enjoying feeding the birds.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, I do hope to see you again.
Judy
I so love that joke!
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