The Greater Flamingo Gazette - #6

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You've been waiting for it impatiently!
Here’s the Adopt a Flamingo special issue of our latest Gazette!
Since the launch of our new site in November 2020, more than 2,000 people have adopted a flamingo. A big thanks to all of them!

You will find scientific information about flamingos (because we’re lucky enough to have specialists on hand), news about the flamingo community (both the flamingos that are in the news and the people who love them), and answers to your technical or administrative questions.
This Gazette is made for you. Please tell us what's wrong or what you’d like to see in an upcoming issue!

Flamingolly yours,

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What are the flamingos up to right now?

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Love, love, love

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Mating season for flamingos means courtship. They’ve been on the lookout for a good partner since the beginning of the winter. To stand out from the others, they must be as attractive as possible. That’s why they perform several movements in a group—a kind of dance, whose complexity will increase their chances of finding a mate. They also have to display their most colourful plumage to be noticed.

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Silence, we're shooting!

In this video, you'll find all of Frédéric Lamouroux’s explanations about flamingo courtship dances. Frédéric is the Director of the Pont de Gau Ornithological Park.

Watch the video

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Gimme your science!
Pinker than pink - the secret of my sublime colour

During this period, flamingos secrete an oily substance through a preening gland located at the base of their tails. This substance, which contains carotenoids, will contribute to their beautiful colour.
The more colourful they are, the more attractive they will be to their potential mates, who interpret this color as the sign of a good breeder.

Charlotte Perrot studied the behaviour of the Greater Flamingo in 2017 at the Tour du Valat, and in particular the complexity of flamingo courtship dances, as part of her PhD thesis Individual variations in reproductive traits of the Greater Flamingo: from pairing to fledging

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Our star flamingos

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An adventurous cousin

FFK is a male flamingo born in 1979 in the Camargue. He was observed last September in the company of BKPL, another male Camargue flamingo born in 1992 in the Campignol lagoon in the Aude Department.
FFK is a great traveler. He’d already been sighted in Italy, France, and Spain in the 90s. Since then, he’s traveled between Italy and France, and has racked up more than 11, 000 kms!
It's a safe bet that he’s already met Marco or Sofia during one of his stopovers...

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kzfl-en-espagne-juan-manuel-aguado-marcos

a future expatriate?

KZFL, just born and ringed in the Camargue in August 2020, was already observed in Spain at the end of September, and this is the first time he’s been sighted in the province of Cantabria! It may well be that he is following in the footsteps of Romane or Milan.

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Flamingos that speak Flemish

1|VZB is a female flamingo born and ringed in Spain in 2010. She was observed from July to September 2020 at different locations in the Netherlands together with 2|VPB. This was an exceptional event, as it was the first time that Mediterranean flamingos were observed in this country.
While in October 2020, 1|VZB was observed again in Portugal (it was probably time for her to get back to the sun...), 2|VPB is still enjoying his Flemish friends and was seen there as recently as February 27.

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News from LATZ

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Last summer, LATZ became the first flamingo fitted with a GPS tag (see Gazette #5).
For the moment, he has still not decided to leave our beautiful Camargue and is sailing between the marshes of the Salins d'Aigues-Mortes and those of the Salins de Giraud, surely in search of a better meal... or a soul mate!

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Where was CFNH hiding?

CFNH was born in the Camargue in 1995. It was observed in Portugal and Spain from 1996 to 1999. We had no news of this bird for 19 years until September 2020 when it was seen again in Portugal!

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Gimme your science!
Disappearing but not forever...

This phenomenon of a flamingo disappearing and reappearing after many years is not uncommon. Some flamingos like the tranquility of large areas without humans. It will therefore always be difficult to observe them. No need to worry then if you don't hear from your flamingo, she's probably tucked away by the sea, enjoying herself far from prying eyes...

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Did you know?

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How is my contribution used?

You understand that it’s important to equip ornithologists living in the vast chotts and sebkhas of North Africa with adequate optical equipment in order to increase the data concerning the areas flamingos like. Part of the money raised through your adoption is used for that purpose. The more observers there are who have good equipment, the more likely you are to hear from your flamingo!

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Worried because Your flamingo is old?

And what's wrong with forties?
The oldest flamingos in our database were born in 1977, the date of the first ringing in the Camargue. In 2020, 29 of the 559 flamingos ringed in 1977 were seen. This summer, some of them, such as ANN, AVY, BUD, and BXX, were observed at the colony, in pairs or looking after a chick. It is therefore difficult to draw conclusions about the life expectancy of a wild flamingo.

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Do you know your private space?

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Have you been to your private space at myflamant.com/en/myaccount-2/? You’ll need your e-mail address and password. If you don't know it yet or have forgotten it, click on "Forgot your password?”
By clicking on the id card of your adopted flamingo, you’ll be able to find the map of where your flamingo has already traveled.
You’ll also find downloadable documents including your tax receipt, adoption certificate, and an information sheet about your flamingo.

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Unusual

Two flamingos recently made the headlines in central France because they landed at Pierrefitte Lake in the Cantal. One of them (FDAF) is ringed and we can confirm that it he’s a male from the Camargue born in 2003. This is the first time we’ve received a ring reading from the Cantal, and possibly the first time flamingos have been seen there. For more information.
A Lesser Flamingo was observed at the end of February on Reunion Island. This had not happened for 15 years! Unfortunately, it did not survive despite the care it was given. For more information.

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How about the network?

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Valentine, lucky winner of the contest

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For Valentine's Day, we organised a contest on our Instagram page, and Valentine found a new sponsor!
What? You’re still not subscribed to our Instagram account?
What are you waiting for? It's right below!

Flash subscription to the Adopt a Flamingo Instagram account!

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Gimme another Gazette!

This Gazette has come to an end, but if you want to know more, you can read all our previous Gazettes!
And if you have any ideas for the next one or any comments, please contact us below!

Previous issues

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