About
Flamingos are wading birds, commonly characterized by stilted posture and bright pink color. A group of flamingos is called a flamboyance. The name flamingo comes from the Portuguese or Spanish flamengo (‘flame-colored’). Flamingos usually stand on one leg with the other tucked beneath the body. The reason for this behavior is not fully understood. One theory is that standing on one leg reduces energy expenditure so they can hunt for longer. A study on cadavers showed that the one-legged pose could be held without any muscle activity, while living flamingos demonstrate substantially less body sway in a one-legged posture. Flamingos are capable flyers, and when in captivity require wing clipping to prevent escape. Young flamingos hatch with grayish-red plumage, but adults range from light pink to bright red, due to consumption of beta-carotene. Captive flamingos turn a pale pink if they are not fed carotene at levels comparable to the wild.
― In-game description