Summer is here, and it seems our feathered friends are enjoying the cooling effects of water as much as we are. Milnerton’s famous flamingos were recently spotted wading away the day in the Milnerton Lagoon.
Kyle Nielsen was lucky enough to capture the sight of the birds at the mouth leading to the sea of the lagoon on Sunday, December 13.
These flamingos have become residents in their own right, and are somewhat of an attraction for the area. They are often spotted by the lagoon and by the golf course at the Milnerton Light House.
Flamingos tend to congregate in lagoons or mudflats where they can easily find shallow saltwater prey. They are incredibly social creatures and are typically found in large flocks.
They are named after the Spanish and Latin word “flamenco”, meaning fire, referring to their brightly coloured feathers. Interestingly, not all flamingoes are brightly coloured. In fact, many are mostly white or grey.
The pink tinge in their feathers, which varies in intensity, is a result of their diet. The crustaceans and plankton that flamingos feed on contain the beta-carotene pigment, which turns them pink.
