Flamingos are birds with long legs. They are usually seen standing under palm trees and near water. They can both swim and fly. They live in large colonies where they build nests of mud, small stones and feathers on the ground. Their nests are called mounds because they are shaped like a mountain. Mounds can be as high as 30 cm and it can take a pair of flamingos up to six weeks to build their nest. They lay eggs and both parents take turns incubating the eggs for a month. Flamingos are special because they do the same things at the same time for example; laying eggs or raising young ones. Flamingos are unique because even though they look the same in these large colonies, parents can only identify their own chicks when they hear their voices. Newly hatched chicks have gray or white feathers, a straight red bill and plump, swollen red or pink legs. After about four to seven days, the chicks leave the nest to group up with a few adult birds. Here they form a big nursery school for the young flamingos where they learn to do things and play together. Ends
