What do flamingos eat?

Wild flamingos eat algae, small insects, and small crustaceans like shrimp. These foods are rich in beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is the pigment that gives carrots their orange coloring. It also tints flamingos' feathers pink. According to Brandie Smith, interim director of conservation and science at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in Maryland, many zoos have flamingos on diets with lots of beta-carotene so they keep their pink plumage. Some zoo flamingos eat commercially prepared food without beta-carotene, so they may be paler pink or white.

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Question by Shavonna L., Washington

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