Juvenile Andean Flamingo, Bolivia

by Venetia Featherstone-Witty

Title

Juvenile Andean Flamingo, Bolivia

Artist

Venetia Featherstone-Witty

Medium

Photograph - Photographs

Description

This one of the three species of flamingos I saw on the lakes in the Salar de Uyuni (salt flats) in Bolivia. The Andean flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus) is a species of flamingo native to the Andes mountains of South America. Until 2014, it was classified in genus Phoenicopterus. It is closely related to James's flamingo, and the two make up the genus Phoenicoparrus. The Chilean flamingo, Andean flamingo, and James' flamingo are all sympatric, and all live in colonies (including shared nesting areas).
It is distinguished from other flamingos by its deeper lower mandible and the very long filtering filaments on the maxila. It is the largest flamingo in the Andes.

The flamingo has a pale pink body with brighter upperparts, deep vinaceous-pink lower neck, breast, and wing coverts. It is the only flamingo species with yellow legs and three-toed feet. Its bill is pale yellow near the skull, but black for the majority of its length, and curves downward. Its lower mandible is less apparent than those of the genus Phoenicopterus.
It is distinguished from other flamingos by its deeper lower mandible and the very long filtering filaments on the maxila. It is the largest flamingo in the Andes.
Fossils attributed to Andean Flamingo have been found at the Salar de Atacama border and roughly date to the Early Formative period, approximately 3,000 to 2,200 BP. These fossils date to a period consistent with the onset of modern climate conditions that the species now inhabits.
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May 25th, 2021

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