Celebrating our flamingos this International Flamingo Day
It’s International Flamingo Day on Sunday 26 April 2026, so what better time to celebrate our two species of flamingos than now!
WWT Martin Mere has two species of flamingos, Chilean flamingo and Greater Flamingo, which have been wowing visitors since close to our centre opening in 1975. Some of our flamingos are even around 50 years old!
We're taking a look at some of the highlights of our flamingos!
Showing courtship behaviours
Flamingos have unique courtship behaviours where they will all perform synchronised head flagging and wing saluting to let each other know they are ready for the breeding season. Take a look at this video captured of our greater flamingos showing these behaviours.
Hidden camera at flamingo nest
Our team set up a hidden camera to see what our flamingos got up to on their nest. This included showing the first flamingo egg hatching.
Flamingo chick testing its parent
One of our Greater Flamingo chicks was caught on camera teasing its parent, running around in circles! Credit Carolyn Highcock
Completing a flamingos health check
Each year we gather our flamingos together to perform a health check, to make sure they are nice and healthy. In 2019, we filmed the process of this, take a look!
Chileans breed for first time in 10 years
In 2023, we saw our flock of Chilean flamingos breed for the first time in 10 years. Chileans tend to breed later into the season, and the hot weather this year leading up to the late summer is what wardens here believed helped with them to breed.
And bonus fluffy flamingo chick pictures!
Adopt a flamingo
Did you know you can adopt a flamingo with WWT? Take a look:
Inspired to visit?
Want to see our flamingos in person? You can save 10% on admission tickets when prebooking online. Or, WWT members go free.
