A black flamingo? Is it possible? Most people like these fairy birds of pink color because of their capturing beauty. They seem to be from fairy tales and Disney cartoons.
But somehow it happened that a black flamingo was spotted in Cyprus. It’s unbelievable and uncommon for us to see a flamingo in a different coloring than pink.
The black flamingo stands out from the crowd because of its plumage. But as it turns out this black one has a special genetic condition called melanism. Due to the extreme quantity of melanin, the bird is darker than his fellows.
It’s a rare thing in flamingos to inherit this genetic condition. More often it can be found in hawks and ducks.
Dark feathers are a plus for many birds. They help them to hide from stronger predators. In this case, the feathers of the rare flamingo are not healthy. They can be easily broken.
Also, the coloring makes it difficult to attract other mates during the breeding season.
And what’s your opinion about the black flamingos?
