Why Are Flamingos Pink?
They aren’t just born that way
It turns out they aren’t born that way. Baby flamingos are actually born with gray feathers and gradually turn pink throughout their lifetime.
Over time, flamingos develop their signature color from their food supply. They eat mainly brine shrimp, which are high in pigments known as carotenoids.
Carotenoids are the same pigments responsible for the color in many of the red, orange, and yellow foods we eat, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes. Carotenoids are also the same pigments that cause shrimp to turn pink when they are boiled.
A health, well-fed flamingo is more vibrantly colored, while a paler flamingo is typically unhealthy or malnourished. Flamingos in captive may also turn a paler pink if not fed as much carotenoids as compared to those in the wild.
