Birds · Phoenicopteriformes · Phoenicopteridae

Lesser Flamingo

Phoeniconaias minor

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The smallest of all the flamingos and, at the same time, the most numerous. It is told from the greater flamingo mainly by its bill, much darker and almost black, and by its deeper pink plumage. Size is not a reliable criterion in mixed flocks, because it also differs between the sexes within the species itself.

Weight

1.5 kg on average

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

Estimated population

Probably around two million individuals, the most abundant flamingo species in the world

Diurnal Colonial Near Threatened Bird

47countries 11parks5same family1natural phenomena 2featured routes

Fun facts

comportamientoIt is the smallest and most numerous flamingo in the world, and its great gatherings on African alkaline lakes can exceed a million birds.
It is the smallest flamingo and the most abundant at the same time: an unusual combination among large birds.
The vagrants that reach southern Europe are recorded mainly in Spain, though such sightings are exceptional.
Its genus, Phoeniconaias, was created in 1869 for this species alone, and there are genetic proposals to merge it with Phoenicoparrus.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Alkaline and saline lakes, chiefly in the African Great Rift Valley, as well as Pakistan and north-western India
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Litter / clutch size: A single white egg, as in the rest of the flamingos, on a mud nest shaped like a truncated cone

Sources consulted: IUCN Red List; Wikipedia (Phoeniconaias minor); IOC World Bird List; Torres et al. (filogenia de Phoenicopteridae, 12 loci nucleares y 2 mitocondriales)