Scientific name: Phoenicopterus roseus Pallas, 1811
Bird group: Flamingos
Field characters. 125-145 cm. Large, unmistakable, pink-and-white waterbird with enormously long legs and neck, and peculiar downcurved bill. In flight, scarlet wing coverts contrast with black flight-feathers; flies with legs and neck fully extended. Bill black at tip, pink at remainder; legs pink.
Voice. Goose-like; a babbling noise on ground and a resonant honking in flight.
Distribution. Breeds locally in relatively large colonies; highly gregarious outside the breeding season.
Habitat. Restricted to shallow and open brackish or saline lagoons, deltas, or large lakes.
Food. Mainly crustaceans, insects, small invertebrates, molluscs, annelids, protozoa, diatoms, algae and seeds. Feeds by walking in shallow water with head submerged between legs.
Eggs. Unmarked, ground colour white, becoming stained during incubation; covered with irregular chalky layer. Shape subelliptical/long subelliptical/oval/long oval. Size 90 x 55 mm (77-103 x 48-60), weight 140 g.