These are the fluffy grey flamingo chicks born at the world’s oldest zoo being watched over with love by their eye-catching pink parents.
The flamingo babies were born at Schoenbrunn Zoo in the Austrian capital of Vienna, which is considered to be the world’s oldest.
According to the zoo, they have a true baby boom at the aviary of the greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), which is the largest species in the flamingo family.
In total 12 chicks were born between 11th April and 2nd May, and some eggs are still being bred currently.
Zoo director Dagmar Schratter said that flamingos are unique as both parents raise their chicks and not the mother alone.
Schratter said: “The youngest chicks are still sitting in the nests, peeking out from their parents’ plumage, who alternately warm and feed them with high-energy liquid from their goiter.
“The older ones have already left the nests and are communally looked after like in a nursery.”
At first glance, the chicks might not look like their pink parents as they are still grey and fluffy.
Only at about the age of three will they develop the bright, pink feathers that their parents have.
Schratter said: “The greater flamingos can reach a size of 1.20 to 1.40 metres, of which its graceful legs make up about 40 centimetres.”
The largest male flamingos can, however, reach up to 187 cm (74 inches) in height and weigh up to 4.5 kilograms (9.9 lbs).
France’s Camargue region, as well as the Italian island of Sardinia, are two of the best-known areas in Europe where the animal can be easily spotted in the wild.
There are also wild flamingo populations in other parts of southern Europe such as Spain, Portugal and Greece, as well as in Africa, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Koen Berghuis, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
