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Are There Flamingos In Jamaica?

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flamingo_beach_aruba_fodorsAre There Flamingos In Jamaica?

by Venesha Johnson | Associate Writer

What’s the most beautiful bird? I am pretty sure if you were to make a list of them, the Flamingo would definitely be on there. Are there flamingos in Jamaica?

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Are there Flamingos in Jamaica?

Yes, there are. The Caribbean flamingo, also known as the West Indian, American, or Rosey flamingo, is one of the six species of flamingos.

This species can be found primarily in the Galapagos Islands, the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, the northernmost point of South America, the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, and Bonaire in the West Indies.

For their bright feathers, as food, and as exotic pets, flamingos were almost hunted to extinction less than fifty years ago. However, conservation initiatives have increased their population.

Where in Jamaica can You see Flamingos?

Jamaica is not overrun with Flamingos. You will not casually walk along a beach and run into a group of flamingos nor are there especially known areas where you can find them. But, people have attested to seeing them before.

Outside of seeing them at local zoos there are no “special” Flamingo sites in Jamaica. However, there have been mentions of seeing them in Black River, St. Elizabeth and Portland Cottage, Clarendon.

About the Caribbean Flamingo

  1. A large wading bird with reddish-pink feathers, the American flamingo. One of the longest life spans among birds is theirs, which is 40 years. Although the largest flamingos in the Americas, adult American flamingos are typically smaller than greater flamingos.

    The majority of its feathers are pink, hence its former name of rosy flamingo, which distinguishes adults from the much paler greater flamingo. The primary and secondary flight feathers are black, while the wing coverts are red. The bill has a thick black tip and is pink and white. All of the legs are pink.|

  2. The Caribbean Flamingos are extremely social birds that communicate vocally and visually. During the breeding season, they congregate in sizable colonies that can number anywhere from a few dozen to hundreds of thousands.

    They perform group courtship rituals that get the colony ready for a single breeding event.

  3. Flamingos appear to constantly be vocalising to one another in addition to using body language. Flamingos from the Caribbean trumpet, cackle, and grunt. They make quiet, low "gabbling" noises while eating. They crow in flight like geese.

  4. Lagoons, estuaries, mudflats, and lakes on the coast or inland serve as feeding grounds for Caribbean flamingos. They can wade into relatively deep water to feed due to their size and very long legs.

    They open their bills slightly while submerged upside down, filtering water through comb-like plates on either side. They eat a variety of small aquatic animals and plants that have been removed from the water.

  5. Despite being non-migratory, Caribbean flamingos are nomadic and will travel great distances (hundreds of miles at times) in search of food. Large flocks fly in long, pink, curving lines.

Interesting Fact About Flamingos

  1. The word "flamingo," which was originally derived from the Portuguese for "red goose," refers to their flying formation and sound.

  2. According to some scientists, the mating and courtship behaviours of Caribbean flamingos are the most basic. Before recent studies, researchers thought these birds were monogamous, but they are not.

  3. All flamingos eat by using their bills, which are inverted. To collect the microorganisms that make up their diet, they tipped their heads into the water and used special adaptations in the top half of their bill to filter feed.

  4. An ancient group of birds is the flamingo. Their oldest fossil evidence comes from the Miocene epoch, or roughly 10 million years ago.

  5. Flamingos do not naturally have their stunning pink plumage. The carotenoid pigments they eat as part of their diet give them their colour. Some scientists think that a flamingo's vibrant colour plays a crucial role in its ability to reproduce.

  6. The flamingo is distinctive in that both male and female adults give their young crop milk, a type of milk.

Jamaica is not known for its population of Flamingos and visiting the island with plans of seeing Flamingos in the wild may lead to some disappointments. However, Jamaica has some of the most exotic birds and bird watching is a favourite pass time of many so that will make up for it.

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References & Sources For Are There Flamingos In Jamaica?

  1. American Flamingo (2022) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_flamingo (Accessed: October 13, 2022).
  2. Baltimore, T.M.Z.in (2022) Caribbean Flamingo, The Maryland Zoo. Available at: https://www.marylandzoo.org/animal/caribbean-flamingo/ (Accessed: October 13, 2022).
  3. Caribbean Flamingo (no date) SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Available at: https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/birds/caribbean-flamingo/ (Accessed: October 13, 2022).
  4. Carol_Bareuther (2017) Caribbean Flamingos, ALL AT SEA. Available at: https://www.allatsea.net/caribbean-flamingos/ (Accessed: October 13, 2022).

Are There Flamingos In Jamaica? | Written: October 13, 2022

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