The flamingo is a beautiful pink bird that lives in large flocks near alkali lakes in a variety of habitats.
When a flamingo flies, its long neck and legs make a nearly straight line. Flamingos live to be about 50 years old.

Feathers: The flamingo's bright pink color is due to its diet. The carotene from the shrimp or other shrimp-like crustaceans in its diet turns its feathers pink. If the diet is low in carotene, the feathers become white.

Anatomy: Flamingos have a very long neck and long, pink legs with big, pink, webbed feet. Adults grow to be about 4 feet [1.2 m] tall. Their long bill turns downward in the middle; it is yellow/orange with a black tip. The large bill is used in filter feeding. The eyes are orange-yellow.

Habitat: Flamingos prefer alkaline [the opposite of acid] waters. Flamingos are native to South/Central America and Africa. They are found in warm, tropical areas, desert lakes [in East Africa], and cold mountain lakes [in the Andes mountains].

Diet: The flamingo eats insects, crustaceans [shrimp-like animals], and tiny plants like diatoms and algae. The flamingo eats by putting its head upside-down into the water looking backwards. It takes in water that is rich in tiny organisms and filters nutrients from the water with a comb-like organ on its tongue.