Flamingos are well-known for
being gregarious, but Caribbean
flamingos can buck this trend.
Some colonies of only three
or four pairs have been noted.
Normally, however, it’s a case
of ‘the more, the merrier’.
When it’s time to breed,
flamingos will gather in tightly-
packed groups to perform their
courtship dances, involving
elaborate shows of colour,
wing movements and noise.
Flamingos are nomadic rather
than migratory, roaming great
distances to find feeding and
breeding grounds. Flamingo
populations can be hit hard
by climatic changes, such
as El Niño, which can flood nest
sites or reduce the availability of
food. Man-made habitat changes
that affect the salinity
of wetlands also pose a risk to
the survival of these birds.| PORTFOLIONATURE52 June 2017