Kingdom: Animals
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Phoenicopteriformes
Family: Phoenicopteridae
Species: 5
Chilean Flamingos
Range: South America, from Peru to Southern Argentina and Chile. Can also be found in Bolivia, Paraguay and southern Brazil
Habitat: Salt marshes, shallows of salt or brackish water or alkaline lakes.
Conservation Status: Special Concern
Scientific Name: Phoenicopterus chilensis
Our Chilean Flamingos are located just past the Playground and near the Train Depot. Flamingos are filter feeders. They feed on small crustacean algae and other organisms. In the wild, they get their pink color from the algae they eat. At the zoo, we feed them flamingo diet, a dry food that floats in the water and we add a red dye to keep their pretty color.