FLAMINGO
Obviously, a Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber); native to the American Caribbean areas, West Indies, Yucatan, Galapagos, South America, Africa, Eurasia and India. This one lives in a colony of many at the zoo in Milwaukee.
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They are filter feeders eating mainly small mollusks, crustaceans, blue-green algae and diatoms. I have seen them fly in large flocks and they are truly spectacular with alternating pink over-wing and black-underwing feathers exchanging space. Marvelous watching them. I may have mentioned that a few weeks ago, there were three wild birds wading in the shallows of Lake Michigan a few miles from my home. Extremely rare visitors as we are 1,000 miles from the Caribbean. Very strong winds that week likely blew them out of their range.
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Best in Large.
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P.S. Those "swellings" on the birds legs that look like knees are actually ankles. Its knees are much shorter and tucked up under its feathers.
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