It typically
takes two
years for
a young
flamingo to
turn pink.Flamingos are
most comfortablestanding in a one-when they’re
legged resting
position. “They
stand on one
leg to conserve
body heat,” Holly
explains.
When itcomestoflamingos
and theirpinkfeathers,this
is a truestatement!Although
they’re born a gray color,
flamingos eventually turn pink
from eating creatures that
contain high levels of pink
pigments called “carotenoids.”
Because flamingos eat
carotenoid-filled organisms like
algae and shrimp in such large
amounts, the pink pigmented
enzymes are absorbed by
the flamingo’s body and
deposited in the feathers
and the skin!
Fun fact: A similar thing
happens to humans
who eat lots of carrots (which
also contain carotenoids).
Eating 10 carrots a day for 2
weeks can cause a yellowish
discoloration of the skin. But
don’t worry: Unlike flamingos,
human skin eventually returns
to its natural color!Yo uare whatyou eat!