A flamingo is a tall wading bird with long legs, a long neck, and pink or reddish feathers. It often stands on one leg and feeds in shallow water.
“Flamingo” comes from Spanish or Portuguese “flamengo,” related to “flama,” meaning “flame,” possibly because of the bird’s fiery color. The word passed into English as European explorers described new wildlife.
Flamingos are not born pink—they turn pink because of the pigments in the tiny shrimp and algae they eat. If their diet changes, their color can fade, so their famous look is literally what they’ve been eating.
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