Mystery Animal of the Day

It has been a while since young gnomelets have seen a Mystery Animal and so Mama gnome presents the Mystery Animal of the Day.

This animal feeds with its beak upside down. It is especially adapted to filter feed on blue green algae and very tiny shrimp.

To the ancient Egyptians, this bird was the living representation of the god Ra.

This animal is able to stand on one leg most of the time while it displays its bright plumage ranging from pink to bright red.

If you had guessed the Mystery Animal of the Day is the flamingo, Mama gnome congratulates you and reminds you, Earth Day is coming up on April 22, 2012.

photo by: LadyofHats

There are six species of flamingos.
First, the Greater Flamingos which are found in Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Second are the Lesser Flamingos which are found in Africa and India. The Lesser Flamingo has the biggest population of all flamingos.
Third are the James's Flamingos found in the High Andes in Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia.
Fourth are the Andean Flamingos also found in the High Andes of Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia.
Fifth are the Chilean Flamingos found in the temperate areas of South America.
Sixth are the American Flamingos found in the Caribbean and Galapagos islands.

Flamingos spend a lot of time standing on one leg and it has been proposed by scientists that they do this to conserve body heat or regulate their body temperature especially when they are standing in water.

"The Asian and southern African populations are partially migratory, with many making regular movements from their breeding sites inland to coastal wetlands when not breeding."

Flamingos are obligate filter feeder and they feed mainly during the night or early morning when the water is relatively calm. They filter the mud and water to feed on algae near the surface.

One cool thing, Mama gnome was excited to learn about, is that flamingos will form a large feeding flock to "create calm water for feeding near the center of the flock." Because of their very precise diet of mostly blue-green algae, they feed in alkaline lakes, salt pans, and saline lagoons, and estuaries.

Baby flamingos are born with gray plumage which change color as they grow older because of their diet.

Flamingos are social birds and live in colonies in thousands which help protect them from predators and to facilitate feeding.

Here is a beautiful video by BBCWorldwide:



According to the IUCN, flamingos' main breeding sites in Africa "are threatened by proposed soda-ash mining and hydro-electric power schemes."

Flamingos are also threatened by "land-claim, water pollution, and disturbance, and there are fears that the population at Lake Bogoria is suffering from malnutrition."

Andean flamingos are threatened by "egg collecting...with thousands taken annually, mining activities, unfavourable water-levels (owing to weather and manipulation), erosion of nest-sites and human disturbance may also affect productivity."

A few years ago, thousands of flamingos were dying along the lakes of Kenya and Tanzania. Researchers said possible causes included "avian cholera, botulism, metal pollution, pesticides or poisonous bacteria."

Mama gnome and gnomelets were terribly saddened by this. It was enough for the gnome family to see red...not pink!

Mama gnome asks you to do your part to help save flamingos and other marine animals and birds by participating in the annual Coastal Cleanup Day.

Please help save flamingos and paint the landscape pink by going green.
(c) Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog