Flamingo ~ Chilean

Chilean Flamingos are found in east and central South America in or near shallow muddy, alkaline and brackish lakes. They are at the top of the food chain in this unique niche as there is not enough food to sustain larger lifeforms. As a result, humans are the major danger to the Chilean Flamingos due to hunting and habitat loss. The Chilean species is typically a fraction smaller than their flamingo counterparts, but they exhibit very similar behaviours and life history. They feed on small invertebrates in the water using their specialized bills. Chilean Flamingos are very social birds and live in groups of several dozen to hundreds of individuals. They have a monogamous mating system but breed and nest in large groups of up to 20 flamingos. In the wild the Chilean Flamingos has been known to live up to 50 years, while in captivity the oldest known flamingo lived to be 44 years.