An abandoned egg that had been rescued was incubated for 32 days before being introduced to an “adoptive” flamingo family, a zookeeper said. Soon the egg was taken under the wings of the feathered couple—Florence and Freddie—and, not long after that, it would hatch to become Whipsnade Conservation Zoo’s newest addition.
A 3-week-old flamingo chick mingles with members of its flamboyance at Whipsnade Zoo in Dunstable, UK. (Courtesy of Whipsnade Zoo)
In footage recently released by the zoo, the baby bird is seen mingling, wetting its feet, and dipping its beak alongside its new flamingo family. It is easy for visitors to spot the small chick among its flock because of its gray color. The bird’s iconic bright pink and orange plumage won’t develop for about a year.
The grey flamingo chick stands out next to its bright-pink-feathered flock. (Courtesy of Whipsnade Zoo)
“By incubating the eggs at our specialized bird nursery, we can make sure the chicks have the best chance of survival and ensure that Whipsnade Zoo has a healthy and strong flamboyance of flamingos.”
Currently, the chick is being nursed with an unusual-colored, bright-red “crop milk,” a nutritious milk made in flamingos’ digestive tracts that contains fat, protein, and blood cells. Although zookeepers had been waiting to find out whether the chick is a male or female, they have confirmed that it’s growing in confidence day by day.
The small flamingo chick mingles with adult flamingos at the Whipsnade Zoo. (Courtesy of Whipsnade Zoo)
“ZSL [Zoological Society of London], the international conservation charity behind Whipsnade Zoo, is working to restore wetland environments across Asia, Africa, in Amazonian flooded forests, and even central London—where the team is helping to restore the Thames estuary to help ensure the long-term survival of the many bird and marine species that call these incredible ecosystems home,” Ms. Merrick-White said.