MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Zoo has announced its first flamingo hatchings in more than two years.
Four Chilean flamingo chicks hatched in September.
If you have visited the stand lately, you may have noticed the mounds of dirt off to the right in the exhibit. Those are flamingo nests. The incubation period for flamingo eggs is usually around 28 to 30 days. The parents take turns sitting on the egg to keep it warm.
When flamingos hatch, they have grey, downy feathers. The chicks will start turning pink between 1- to 2-years old. Flamingos get their pink feather coloring from filter-feeding on algae and small crustacean. The chick’s bill is also flat when it hatches. It will gradually curve downward as the flamingo matures.
Both parents will take turns caring for the chick, feeding it a fluid produced in their digestive systems. Some chick behaviors include exploring the exhibit and even swimming.
If you cannot spot the new chicks right away; they may be underneath their parents on the nest. The sexes of the chicks will be determined at a later date.
The Zoo's flamingo stand is not the only thing turning the zoo pink. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our iconic Avenue of Animals are adorned in pink lights AND we are offering a special membership promotion for all NEW Zoo members. New members will receive a commemorative Memphis Zoo Breast Cancer Awareness Pin, two free tickets to our Dinosaur adventure, 1 free meal at our Cathouse Café.
