Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

Other Names

Phoenicopterus ruber roseus   Rosy Flamingo   Flamant rose, Grand Flamant   Rosaflamingo   Flamenco Común   Större flamingo   Flamingo   Fenicottero

World: Widely distributed from southern Europe to India and the east and south of the African continent (including Madagascar)

Kenya: Greatest concentrations are found along the Rift Valley soda lakes although they are also found on freshwater lakes in the Rift. Occasionally noted in coastal regions (although these sightings may represent palearctic migrants)

The species Phoenicopterus roseus is an Old-World species which is considered by some authorities to be a sub-species of the New-World Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber. The distribution given above is for P. roseus.

Both the Greater and the Lesser Flamingo are found in Kenya often in mixed groups. The Greater Flamingo is considerably bigger, 18" (46 cm), than the Lesser and has a pink bill with a black tip. A filter feeder, it preys on invertebrates which it sifts from the bottom mud. In Kenya its major breeding sites are at Lakes Natron and Elementeita where it prefers open shore or small islands