World record flamingo chicks born at GaiaZOO

Nowhere in the world have so many flamingo chicks been born in a zoo in such a short time as in GaiaZOO. The “baby boom” in the Kerkrade Zoo is therefore extremely special. The behavioral pattern of the pink birds is very strict when it comes to reproduction. For example, the animals will not mate if their colony is smaller than about twenty individuals or if the ratio between the sexes is not right. In addition, the great flamingos only breed once a year and each female only lays one egg. The wave of births at GaiaZOO is due in part to the size of the group and the optimal conditions of the flamingos’ enclosure.

Last year, the largest flamingo colony in Europe settled in GaiaZOO. It was uncertain whether the colony would produce any offspring this year, but the tension was broken in July when the first chick hatched. In the meantime, that number has risen to over fifty chicks. Kelly de Bruijn-Gielen, GaiaZOO zookeeper: “Flamingos are special animals, especially when it comes to reproduction. The birds are very selective when it comes to choosing a partner. One of the conditions for successful breeding is that the group is large enough so that there is sufficient choice. We are pleasantly surprised that so many pairs have already formed this year.’

Mating dance
Prior to the breeding season, a beautiful mating dance takes place in which the hundreds of flamingos move synchronously with each other. During this mating dance, they select their partner for the upcoming breeding season. Large flamingos breed once a year and have a breeding season of 28 days on average. They build their nests from clay and mud until a cone-shaped nest is formed. On the top of the nest, a small hollow is made in which each pair lays one egg. ‘We have tried as much as possible to imitate the living conditions in which the birds breed in the wild. We have done this, among other things, by providing the substrate in the enclosure with clay, which is necessary for nest building,’ says de Bruijn-Gielen.

Incorporated into the flamingo family
Anyone in the zoo looking for the chicks should pay close attention. The little ones have light gray downy feathers and look nothing like their parents. They only develop the striking pink color a few years later. The beak also looks different from the beak of an adult flamingo. Flamingo chicks have a small and straight beak. It takes about two months for the beak to grow into its characteristic shape. Because of this, they cannot yet filter food from the water like their parents. To raise their chicks, the great flamingos work together. Already a few days after hatching, the little ones are joined together in a so-called “crèche. Adult flamingos without their own young keep an eye on the large group of chicks here. In this way the parents can look for food while the colony looks after the chicks.