What's with the pink "knees"?
Introducing the birds from Chile.
In the South American Pen at WWT Slimbridge you will find a large flock of a very striking species of flamingo. Phoenicopterus chilensis, the Chilean flamingo, is instantly recognisable thanks to its bright tangerine-pink plumage, grey legs and (famously) its pink "knees", which are in fact its ankles. Chilean flamingos are highly nomadic birds, moving around different high-altitude lakes across western South America. This species of flamingo is becoming threatened in the wild due to the activities of man disrupting its nesting areas and feeding grounds. Fortunately, Chilean flamingos can be prolific breeders in captivity (the very first flamingo ever hatched in a European zoo, in the 1930s, was of this species) and hence captive flocks are an important safeguard against potential threats in the wild. As well as at WWT Slimbridge, you can also see Chilean flamingos at WWT Washington and WWT Martin Mere.
