Every year, flamingos from Zwillbrocker Ven, Germany winter here in South Holland. The lake in Germany consists of fresh water which means it can freeze in winter. The salty Grevelingen Lake is therefore an excellent base for the various flamingos. There are Caribbean, Chilean and European exotics. After the winter, they return and breed in Germany.
The pink, sometimes even orange, colour they get from their food. The dye is made by algae eaten by crayfish and shrimps. Through them, the flamingo colours to a greater or lesser extent. When parents feed their chicks crop milk, they lose their colour. They do regain it when the chicks eat independently.
Another fun fact, flamingos often stand on one leg because having both legs in the water causes the body temperature to drop too much. The leg that is raised warms the body.
So to keep it balanced, flamingo's only stand on one leg.
I am Lies Bakker, born in 1965 and living with my partner and their dog Bob in Bunnik. As long as there are cameras in smartphones I have been trying to take fun, crazy pictures that I enthusiastically share on my social media. It never got much further.. Read more…