Hot enough to make an Andean flamingo?
There’s some excitement in the air this month at WWT Slimbridge. The long spell of very high temperatures has had quite an effect on the Andean flamingo flock. Love clearly has been (and is still) in the air. Three pairs are occupying three nest mounds on their sanded island, and one egg has been laid.
This is outstanding when you consider that the last eggs produced by this flock were back in 2003 and the last chick to be hatched and reared was in 1999.
A photo from 2003, when this flock last produced eggs.
Flamingos are built to have long delays between nesting events, so it is not surprising that chicks are not produced each year. And as they get older, so they breed less. The Andean flamingos are much-loved elderly birds at WWT Slimbridge and whilst you might be familiar with their amazing courtship dancing (https://twitter.com/pauledwardrose/status/988738968140288000) nesting attempts have been very infrequent over the past decade or so. Nests were started in 2016 but never really amounted to much. So this year’s development (to see such large nests and to get eggs laid) is very exciting indeed.
How to keep nesting flamingos happy. Phil floods the nesting island to irrigate the sand- keeping it at just the right amount of wet for the birds to keep building with.
Find out more about what happened in 2016 here: https://www.wwt.org.uk/news/all-news/2016/06/wwt-slimbridge-diaries/wwt-slimbridge-diaries-flamingo-diary/what-are-the-andeans-up-to/
Nesting group in 2018.
The Andean flamingos have been nest building on and off across most of June (see the photo below) but things have escalated with the higher temperatures (of 30 degrees or more) at the start of July. Phil and Sparky have been flooding the nesting island to make patches of damp sand for the birds to build with as well as checking on the water levels in the pool to allow the birds to keep building as their nest mounds grow.
Squabbles and arguments in the flock on the 29th June as birds start to decide where the best spot is for building a nest mound.
The bird that is responsible for this nesting attempt is a very special flamingo too. For she is the chick that was last hatched at WWT Slimbridge in 1999. You can spot her by her leg ring “JBU”. A bird that has also been involved in nesting in “JAF”, a very tall, very pink male flamingo. He is one of the older animals in the group but is top of the tree when it comes to the pecking order in this flock. Perhaps this older, experienced bird and the youngest, keenest member of the group have had a positive influence over everyone!
Below are two photos of this special flamingo.One the left, a picture that was reproduced on a postcard and sold in the WWT gift shops when "JBU" wast hatched. And on the right, summer 2018. It’s nice to see this bird completing her full natural flamingo cycle.
Alongside of their exceptional care, the exceptional weather is probably the biggest factor in getting this group going. Andean flamingos breed in the high Andes. With intense heat and bright sunshine during the nesting season. So, when the British summer decides to mimic the heat of South America, the flamingos fall in step. And the result is behaviour that’s new and exciting to all. Our oldest Andean flamingos are approaching 60 years old; it's great to see that they are fit and healthy to be thinking about breeding.
Like in the other flocks, the flamingos will keep adding to their nests as incubation continues. Here's a clip of a flamingo building whilst sat on her nest mound: https://youtu.be/pHsTe30rQcI
We won’t know if any eggs are fertile or not yet. Like in the other flocks, any eggs laid get taken to the Duckery for incubation. But even if nothing is produced, it’s great to see the birds performing this natural behaviour. It’s great for their well-being, it keeps them happy and in top condition, and it’s a nice reward to the WWT Slimbridge aviculturists for their efforts and hard work.
Here is a video of "JBU" standing over her egg, turning it and then settling down for incubation: https://youtu.be/ox8-YR0U36k
And for visitors to Slimbridge this is something that will be unique to see in the UK. Please make sure you stop and pay a visit to these most special of our flamingos on your next visit. Perhaps Mr James will become an uncle...?!
Tired! A sleepy "JBU" sits on her dummy egg. Let's hope the real thing is fertile...
