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NEWS FROM THE COLONY IN PICTURES

We are in the only place in France where the greater flamingo breeds. The breeding pairs of the colony gather on a quiet islet where they lay their eggs and we are ready for 29 days of incubation!
🔎 Take a look at this picture: you can see the chicks and the parents taking turns nurturing them. We can still see the parents incubating some eggs that haven’t hatched yet.

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First days of a Small fLAMINGO

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Above, a young chick on its nest of compacted mud, still being coddled and nurtured by its parents for a few days before setting off to explore its surroundings. Have a look at its legs, already strong since birth. However, the chick is still too weak to feed itself: the parents use their beaks to give them a liquid made up of pre-digested invertebrates, containing all the good things it needs to grow. This vital liquid is called crop milk.

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LIVE

Find yourself immersed into the heart of the colony. Our trainee Julie filmed a video of a chick right after its hatching. Have you spotted it?

see the video

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DEPARTURE FOR THE NURSERY

After around ten days, the chicks are brought together by the breeders in this new area, which provides protection from predators. They are already larger and more familiar with their surroundings.

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But don't think that their parents have left them. They still come to feed them and recognise their young by their calls. However, as they grow, their parents decrease the frequency and the quantity of food provided.

Little by little the nursery grows, and so do the chicks. Stay tuned, we look forward to seeing you in our next issue, where we'll be revealing how the colony is developing and how the chicks are growing.

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Flamingos in Romania?

Indeed, you can come across flamingos in Romania, nevertheless, they are rare! In September of 2021, scientists counted more than 250 individuals in the Danube Delta. But where do they come from? What are they doing there? Surprisingly, even a flamingo ringed in Aigues-Mortes has even been spotted there. To find out more, read this article (in french) published on Ornithomedia.

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AROUND THE COLONY

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Little plovers

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We noticed that a small vigilant bird was nesting not far away. It's the Kentish Plover. The female may lay three eggs on the ground once or twice a year, which is one of the threats to the species: because their nest is sometimes built in the middle of the road, they face the risk of being run over.
In spring, like them, be vigilant and watch where you step when you walk along the beaches! #OnMarcheSurDesOeufs

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Luckly, Julie succeeded to photograph the chicks and you can already see how lively and agile they look.

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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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