The flamboyance of flamingos have recently welcomed two more plucky flamingo chicks - the second hatched on the 7 February, with the third winging its way out the next day.
Flamingos hatch out of their shells by utilising an ‘egg tooth’ – a temporary structure that is found at the tip of the upper beak. These ‘teeth’ are found in reptiles and some birds and help the youngsters to internally pip and break through the tough outer eggshell. It will eventually fall off in the first few days after serving its purpose.
This breeding season our skilled keepers have been trialling a new approach to clutch management. Our bird team will monitor all of the eggs laid, and once a fertile egg is confirmed it is strategically placed in the nest of a flamingo pair that has laid an infertile egg. This ensures that birds that have not successfully produced fertile eggs can also have a chance at parenting and allows for successful breeders to lay a second clutch of eggs that they can then rear themselves.
Bird keeper Sarah shares her excitement, "It's awesome to witness foster parents Errol & Zeni and Fuchsia & Jay embrace parenthood for the first time and successfully care for their adoptive chicks. It also means we will welcome more chicks this season, which is fantastic news!”
Visit the flamingos’ African Safari Track habitat at 12pm each day to learn more from our bird team at our free keeper talk!
