Photo: El Golli Mohamed / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus roseus
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) — Grebes, Loons & Flamingos of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is a member of the Phoenicopteridae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults measure 130.0 cm and weigh 3 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Phoenicopteriformes
- Family Phoenicopteridae Flamingos
- Genus Phoenicopterus
- Species roseus
Where it lives
Widespread in Africa and southwestern, south-central Eurasia
Quick facts
- Size
- 130.0 cm
- Weight
- 3 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Phoenicopteridae
- Order
- Phoenicopteriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Greater Flamingo hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Greater Flamingo is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is a species of bird in the Phoenicopteridae family, part of the order Phoenicopteriformes. It is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF widespread in Africa and sw, sc Eurasia.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 3 kg and measures about 130.0 cm in length, with a wing length of about 39.9 cm and a tail of around 13.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Greater Flamingo?
The Greater Flamingo is a very large bird that weighs around 3 kg and measures about 130.0 cm.
Where does the Greater Flamingo live?
The Greater Flamingo is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF widespread in Africa and sw, sc Eurasia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Greater Flamingo belong to?
The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) belongs to the Phoenicopteridae family, in the order Phoenicopteriformes.
What does the Greater Flamingo eat?
The Greater Flamingo hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Greater Flamingo migrate?
The Greater Flamingo is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Greater Flamingo endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Greater Flamingo make?
1 real field recording of the Greater Flamingo — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Greater Flamingo's range?
The Greater Flamingo has a mapped global range of about 5.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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