Flamingo

By Kieran

 


Flamingo

Artwork and original poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2025 inspired by David Attenborough's BBC documentary  'Our Planet'


A flamboyance of flamingos is indeed an unforgettable sight
So numerous that in flight, they often blot out the sunlight

Carotenoids in algae give Flamingos their pinkish-orange color
Without the algae, these striking birds would be much duller

It has remarkable navigational skills to fly with uncanny timing
Just in time to feast on the algae blooms that make fine dining 

Parents take turns to feed the chicks with a protein-rich crop milk
At three months, chicks congregate in large creches with their ilk

Soon, the chicks develop filters in curved beaks to feed on their own
But it takes two or three years till the pinkish-orange hues as shown

Footnote: The 2019 BBC documentary "Blue Planet," presented by the one-of-a-kind Sir David Attenborough, features breathtaking footage of millions of Lesser Flamingos arriving at Lake Natron in Tanzania to gorge on algae, shrimp, and crustaceans that bloom after the long-awaited rains. The orangish-pink feathers come from carotenoid pigments found in this diet. They form some of the largest gatherings of wildlife in the whole world.


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