The beautiful color of Flamingoes (and a number of other colorful birds) is acquired from their diet. The small crustaceans and algae that the flamingoes eat contain carotinoid and other natural pigments that are processed in the body and
deposited in the growing feathers. (Carotene is one of the most common carotinoid pigments and is what makes Carrots and other vegetables orange in color.) Only specific red chemical compounds will color Flamingoes. This means that you can’t turn a Flamingo blue by feeding it blue colored food. At the zoo we add a product called Roxanthin Red to their food. This is what gives Flamingoes their bright "Pink" color.
These are much prettier than the plastic ones in my yard (yes, I’m tacky like that).
I have seen your tacky pink flamingos, in pictures of your garden. I think it’s a hoot to have pink flamingos in Alaska. I think you should get a plastic palm tree, too! 🙂
Gorgeous!
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Have Signal, Will Blog! Mobile/photo blogging the Florida lifestyle and vacations
Flaming hoes!!! Insert clappy smiley here!
So zoo’s “cheat” sorta….
from http://www.honoluluzoo.org/american_flamingo.htm
The beautiful color of Flamingoes (and a number of other colorful birds) is acquired from their diet. The small crustaceans and algae that the flamingoes eat contain carotinoid and other natural pigments that are processed in the body and
deposited in the growing feathers. (Carotene is one of the most common carotinoid pigments and is what makes Carrots and other vegetables orange in color.) Only specific red chemical compounds will color Flamingoes. This means that you can’t turn a Flamingo blue by feeding it blue colored food. At the zoo we add a product called Roxanthin Red to their food. This is what gives Flamingoes their bright "Pink" color.
These are much prettier than the plastic ones in my yard (yes, I’m tacky like that).
I have seen your tacky pink flamingos, in pictures of your garden. I think it’s a hoot to have pink flamingos in Alaska. I think you should get a plastic palm tree, too! 🙂
Gorgeous!