Lesser Flamingo
Phoeniconaias minor
The smallest and pinkest flamingo, gathering by the million on East African soda lakes.
| Scientific name | Phoeniconaias minor |
|---|---|
| Swahili name | Heroe Mdogo |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Phoenicopteriformes |
| Family | Phoenicopteridae |
| Size | Height about 80-90 cm, weight about 1.5-2 kg; the smallest of the flamingos |
How to identify
Much smaller than the greater flamingo, with deeper rose-pink plumage; the bill is dark red with a black tip and relatively short; dark reddish skin around the eye
Habitat
Alkaline and saline lakes, especially the soda lakes of the East African Rift Valley
Diet
Filter-feeds mainly on blue-green algae (spirulina) and tiny plankton
When it is active
Diurnal, feeding in vast flocks; also flies between lakes at night
Where it lives
Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia; Lakes Nakuru, Bogoria and Natron in East Africa are key gathering sites
How to spot it
View the vast pink flocks from the shores of Lake Nakuru or Bogoria; keep your distance to avoid flushing the whole flock
Photography tips
Use a telephoto to capture the pattern of the dense pink mass; shoot at dawn or dusk for reflections and warm light; take-off moments are dramatic
Threats
Changes in soda-lake water level and chemistry, mining development, and habitat disturbance
Similar species
Greater flamingo (larger, paler, with a pink bill tipped black)
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