Long hot summer makes for fertile flamingos
FLAMINGOS in a British wildfowl reserve have laid eggs for the first time in 15 years after the heatwave mimicked conditions in the wild.
The flock of rare Andean flamingos at WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire last produced eggs in 2003, when conditions were similarly stifling.
This year’s record-breaking temperatures encouraged six of the birds to lay a total of nine eggs. But as they were all infertile, the expectant mothers were left without chicks to rear.
So experts at the reserve swapped the eggs for those of Chilean flamingos which they could hatch and care for.
“It’s a wonderful and welcome surprise that the Andeans have started laying again after nearly two decades,” said Mark Roberts, the Aviculture Manager at Slimbridge.
“We’ve been encouraging the flock by helping them to build nests but there’s no doubt that the recent heat has had the desired effect.
“Unfortunately, none of the eggs was viable. So with the Andeans in full parenting mode, we gave them Chilean chicks to bring up as their own. It’s great motivation and enriching for the birds.”
Just a handful of Chilean eggs were passed on, so the other Andeans would be encouraged to lay more eggs.
The Andean flamingos are some of the oldest animals at WWT Slimbridge. Some of the birds arrived in the Sixties as adults and have been at the reserve longer than any of the staff. The birds are capable of breeding well into old age, although their fertility does decline with time.
Slimbridge is the only place in the world where you can encounter all six species of flamingo.