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American Flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber Linnaeus, C 1758

Related taxa:
Life history data
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Species distribution
Geographical range
Value: Resident locally in the Americas along the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula (Celestún, Río Lagartos), in the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Hispaniola, and probably Gonâve and Beata islands), in the southern Bahamas (Acklins Island and Great Inagua), in the Netherlands Antilles (Bonaire) and in the Galapagos Islands. Formerly bred in the Florida Keys (once, possibly), widely in the Bahamas, locally from Culebra and Anegada to the Virgin Islands, and along the north coast of South America from Colombia to the Guianas. Wanders to southern Florida (where captive flocks are also established), widely through the Bahamas and Antilles, and along the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula (including Cozumel Island) and northeastern South America from Colombia to northern Brazil. Casual or accidental (but many if not all probably pertaining to escaped individuals) along the Gulf coast from Texas to Florida, inland north to Kansas, Michigan, Ontario, and southern Quebec, along the Atlantic coast north to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and to Bermuda and the Cayman Islands; reports from Washington, California, and Nevada almost certainly pertain to escaped individuals.
Source: AOU Checklist
Value: Atlantic coast of subtropical and tropical America, breeding locally in the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Yucatan and Guiana; formerly on the Florida Keys; Galapagos Islands.
Source: Peter's Checklist of the Birds of the World
Value: locally from Caribbean to northeastern Brazil; Galapagos
Source: Clements, version 2024
Value: Caribbean region including coastal Yucatan Peninsula and coastal northern South America, and disjunctly in Galapagos
Source: Avilist 2025
Maximum latitude of breeding range
Value: 23.59
Units: degrees
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Minimum latitude of breeding range
Value: -1.36
Units: degrees
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Centroid latitude
Value: 18.3
Units: degrees
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Value: 18.3
Units: degrees
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Centroid longitude
Value: -75.16
Units: degrees
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Nomadic, erratic, irruptive, wandering
Value: 1: Yes
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Breeding restricted to island(s)
Value: 0
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Latitudinal range
Value: Tropical
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Migration strategy
Value: 2: Partial
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Value: Sedentary
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Value: Full Migrant
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Total range size
Value: 5200000
Units: km2
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Value: 241334.34
Units: km2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Value: > 50000
Units: km2
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Realm
Value: Neotropical
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Value: Neotropic
Source: Pigot et al. 2020
Sedentary, largely does not migrate
Value: 1: Yes
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Range and population size
Has restricted range?
Value: N
Source: Birdlife's Worldbird Database
Habitat
Altitude
Value:
Range: 0 - 0
Units: m
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Value:
Range: 0 - 0
Units: m
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Altitude range
Value: 0
Units: m
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Number of major habitats used
Value: 2
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Habitat density (1-3)
Value: Open habitats
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Habitat description
Value: Coastal Waters, mud flats, lagoons. and lakes, generally of high salinity; nests on mud mounds in shallow water.
Source: AOU Checklist
Value: Coastal
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Value: Freshwater
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Value: Marine
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Primary lifestyle
Value: Terrestrial
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Value: DIURNAL
Source: Bird et al. 2020
First habitat
Value: W: Wetlands, lakes, salt lakes, marsh, reedbed
Units: rank
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Second habitat
Value: C: Sea coast, mangrove, estuary, bays, shores, fjords (only sea coast), coastal dune
Units: rank
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Food and feeding habits
Number of major food types consumed
Value: 3
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Source used for diet data
Value: 1
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Main food source
Value: Invertebrate
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Value: Omnivore
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Ecological Specialization Index
Value: 1.22185
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Foraging niche
Value: Aquatic ground
Source: Pigot et al. 2020
Trophic level
Value: Carnivore
Source: Pigot et al. 2020
Value: Carnivore
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Trophic niche
Value: Aquatic predator
Source: Pigot et al. 2020
Value: Aquatic predator
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Weight of fish in diet
Value: 0
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Weight of fruits in diet
Value: 0
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Weight of invertebrates in diet
Value: 8
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Weight of land vertebrates in diet
Value: 0
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Weight of miscellaneous in diet
Value: 0
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Weight of nectar in diet
Value: 0
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Weight of plant material in diet
Value: 1
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Weight of scavenging in diet
Value: 0
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Weight of seeds in diet
Value: 1
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Sum of the weighted diets
Value: 10
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Body measurements
Bill depth (females)
Value: 3.475
Range: 3.28 - 3.67
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill depth (males)
Value: 3.79233
Range: 3.78 - 3.81
Units: cm
Sample: 3
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill depth (sex unknown)
Value: 3.6654
Range: 3.28 - 3.81
Units: cm
Sample: 5
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill length (females) - Culmen
Value: 12.275
Range: 11.86 - 12.69
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill length (males) - Culmen
Value: 12.818
Range: 12.77 - 12.904
Units: cm
Sample: 3
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill length (females) - Nares to tip
Value: 8.89
Range: 8.53 - 9.25
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill length (males) - Nares to tip
Value: 9.01
Range: 8.92 - 9.1
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill length (sex unknown) - Nares to tip
Value: 8.95
Range: 8.53 - 9.25
Units: cm
Sample: 4
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill length (sex unknown) - Culmen
Value: 12.6008
Range: 11.86 - 12.904
Units: cm
Sample: 5
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill width (females)
Value: 2.57
Range: 2.55 - 2.59
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill width (males)
Value: 2.76333
Range: 2.68 - 2.81
Units: cm
Sample: 3
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Bill width (sex unknown)
Value: 2.686
Range: 2.55 - 2.81
Units: cm
Sample: 5
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Body mass
Value: 3043.5
Range: 2500 - 3570
Units: g
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Value: 3031.59
Units: g
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Value: 3090
Units: g
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Value: 3031.59
Units: grams
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Body mass (females)
Value:
Range: 2180 - 3080
Units: g
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Value: 2530
Range: 2525 - 2665
Units: g
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Hatchling body mass
Value: 85
Range: 85 - 85
Units: g
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Body mass (males)
Value: 3574.5
Range: 3516.5 - 3579
Units: g
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Value:
Range: 3280 - 3800
Units: g
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Body mass (sex unknown)
Value:
Range: 2100 - 4100
Units: g
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Value: 3052
Range: 3052 - 3052
Units: g
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Tail length (females)
Value: 13.3
Range: 13.1 - 13.5
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Tail length (males)
Value: 14.2667
Range: 13.5 - 15.3
Units: cm
Sample: 3
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Tail length (sex unknown)
Value: 13.88
Range: 13.1 - 15.3
Units: cm
Sample: 5
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Tarsus length (females)
Value: 26.75
Range: 25.5 - 28
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Tarsus length (males)
Value: 29.65
Range: 28.8 - 30.5
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Tarsus length (sex unknown)
Value: 28.2
Range: 25.5 - 30.5
Units: cm
Sample: 4
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Wing length (females)
Value: 39.2
Range: 38.8 - 39.6
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Hand-Wing Index (females)
Value: 205.5
Range: 204 - 207
Units: %
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Hand-Wing Index (males)
Value: 214.5
Range: 213 - 216
Units: %
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Hand-Wing Index (unknown)
Value: 210
Range: 204 - 216
Units: %
Sample: 4
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Kipps distance (females)
Value: 18.65
Range: 18.4 - 18.9
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Kipps distance (males)
Value: 19.45
Range: 19.3 - 19.6
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Kipps distance (unknown)
Value: 19.05
Range: 18.4 - 19.6
Units: cm
Sample: 4
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Wing length (males)
Value: 42
Range: 40.6 - 44.2
Units: cm
Sample: 3
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Wing length (females) - secondary1
Value: 20.55
Range: 20.4 - 20.7
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Wing length (males) - secondary1
Value: 21.45
Range: 21.3 - 21.6
Units: cm
Sample: 2
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Wing length (unknown) - secondary1
Value: 21
Range: 20.4 - 21.6
Units: cm
Sample: 4
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Wing length (sex unknown)
Value: 40.88
Range: 38.8 - 44.2
Units: cm
Sample: 5
Source: Tobias et al. 2021
Eggs
Egg mass
Value: 142
Range: 142 - 142.7
Units: g
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Reproduction
Age at first breeding
Value: 3.452132746
Units: years
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Value: 2.5
Units: years
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Age at first breeding (females)
Value: 5
Range: 2.5 - 5
Units: years
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Age at first breeding (males)
Value: 5
Range: 5 - 5
Units: years
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Clutch size
Value: 1
Range: 1 - 1
Units: n
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Value: 1
Units: n
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Value:
Range: 1 - 1
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Colonial species
Value: 1: Yes
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Fledging period
Value:
Range: 65 - 90
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Value: 72.5
Range: 72.5 - 72.5
Units: days
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Number of breeding attempts per year
Value: 1.5
Range: 1.5 - 1.5
Units: n/year
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Incubation period
Value: 30
Range: 29.5 - 30
Units: days
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Value:
Range: 27 - 31
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Leks
Value: 0: No
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
How nests are connected to supporting objects
Value: Basal
Source: Chia et al. 2023
Location where nests are constructed
Value: Ground
Source: Chia et al. 2023
Nest has an 'artificial' location
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has an 'earth hole' location
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'ground' location
Value: yes
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'rock' location
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'tree hole' location
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'vegetation' location
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'water' location
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest structure
Value: Platform
Source: Chia et al. 2023
Nest has a 'cavity' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'clearing' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'cup' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'dome' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'dome-and-tube' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has an 'excavation' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'excavation-with-nest' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'mound' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'none' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'platform' structure
Value: yes
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'ring' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Nest has a 'scrape' structure
Value: no
Source: Sheard et al. 2024
Parasitic breeding
Value: False
Source: Chia et al. 2023
Survival
Adult annual survival rate
Value: 0.923761205
Units: annual rate
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Average generation length (years)
Value: 12.96915412
Range: 10.97265614 - 15.56881435
Units: years
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Value: 12.65
Units: years
Source: Birdlife 2024
Maximum age
Value: 33
Units: years
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Value: 35.32211487
Units: years
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Value: 44
Range: 13.16666667 - 44
Units: years
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Average survival
Value: 33
Units: years
Source: Myhrvold et al. 2015
Population decline over 10 years
Value: 0%
Range: 0% - 0%
Units: percent
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Population decline over 3 generation
Value: 0%
Range: 0% - 0%
Units: percent
Source: Bird et al. 2020
Social behaviour
Pairs and family groups
Value: 0: No
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Social flocks
Value: 0: No
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Pairs and family groups
Value: 0: No
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Solitary
Value: 0: No
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
Behaviour
Inability to fly
Value: No
Source: Sekercioglu et al. 2025
References

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