Why are flamingos pink?
lamingos are born with a fashion-forward look. It’s why we accessorize with flamingo neon lights and pool inflatables, and the colorful birds are all over Etsy, according to Metro.
They’re one of the most iconic animals, and when they’re in a group they make a huge statement.
Despite being known for being a rosy hue, though, flamingos aren’t always pink.
They’re born a much more drab grey, and gradually turn pink due to their diet.
Flamingos in the wild eat blue-green algae and brine shrimp, both of which contain a chemical called canthaxanthin.
In zoos this chemical is added to the food given to the birds — perhaps the visitors wouldn’t be so forthcoming for those grey feathers.
Canthaxanthin is also an ingredient used in certain brands of sausage, but don’t worry it’d take a lot more of it to turn you flamingo color.
Even a flamingo egg yolk is pink, and some researchers believe their skin has been stained too.
During the mating process, the birds — both male and female — will flush a deeper pink to show they’re ready to breed.
Although flamingos are very cool to look at and seem delicate, they’re a prehistoric and hardy bird believed to have arrived around the time that dinosaurs went extinct, and have remained relatively unchanged since then.