by Billie Staib

Created on: September 11, 2009   Last Updated: September 12, 2009

Flamingos often come to mind when we think of odd or amusing animals. They seem so different from the rest of the bird species. If you were to ask most people to describe a flamingo, the first thing that would come to mind is most likely their coloring. There are just not that many animals that are pink! So why would Mother Nature choose such an interesting color for a bird? The answer to this mystery can be solved by looking at the typical daily diet of the flamingo.

Just like a baby's cheeks and nose can take on an orange coloring if they eat too many sweet potatoes, a flamingo gets its pink-to-red coloring from eating many foods that contain alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, two types of carotenoids. Carotenoids are natural, fat-soluble, yellow, red, and orange pigments found in plants. You can typically tell plants that are rich in this nutrient by their color. For example, carrots, sweet potatoes, red bell peppers are all good examples common foods that contain carotenoids.

The typical diet of flamingos includes many foods that are rich in carotenoids. Some of the foods that flamingos eat that contain these carotenoids are brine shrimp and blue-green algae. When ingested, these carotenoids provide the flamingo with important antioxidants, vitamin A, and or course their beautiful coloration!

Because of the link between a healthy diet and coloration in flamingos, it is easy to tell when a flamingo is malnourished. In the wild a pale-colored or white flamingo is a sure sign that the poor bird is not getting enough alpha and beta-carotene in their daily diet. In captivity, flamingos often do not have access to the same volume/types of carotenoid-rich food. To supplement their diet, they can be fed other foods with large amounts beta carotene such as carrots and beets. They may also receive a supplement called canthaxanthin, which helps balance their diet much like a good multi-vitamin does in a human's diet.

These same carotenoids are responsible for the coloring in other animals as well. For example, salmon are also pink for the same reason. These nutrients also impact the coloring of many other birds and fish, as well as humans. Even as adults, we can give our skin an orange hue by consuming a large number of beta-carotene rich foods in our daily diet. So, the next time you admire the beautiful plumage of a brightly colored pink flaming, remember that your mother was telling you the truth when she said that "You are what you eat!"

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