Two Chilean Flamingo Chicks Born at Lincoln Park Zoo

Chicago (October 2, 2024) – Lincoln Park Zoo’s flamboyance of flamingos grew by two this summer! After a monthlong incubation period, the two healthy Chilean flamingo chicks hatched a week apart on August 22 and 29. Both chicks are doing well, and Animal Care and veterinary staff continue to closely monitor them. Their sex has not yet been determined.

The chicks are part of the Chilean Flamingo Species Survival Plan (SSP), a collaborative population management effort among the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) institutions. Both chicks are being raised by foster parents, which is a common practice in AZA-accredited institutions and helps ensure the best possible chance for survival.

“We’re excited to share that the chicks are healthy, and their foster parents are doing a great job raising the newborns. We really couldn’t ask for a better outcome right now,” said Hope B. McCormick Curator of Birds Nicole Finch-Mason. “It’s going to be fun watching these two mature and gradually grow into their iconic pink plumage in the coming years.”

It takes roughly two years for Chilean flamingos to take on the bright pink color the birds are known for. Right now, the fluffy chicks have a gray-white color to them. They’ll be on display long before their pink feathers come in, but for now, the new families will remain behind the scenes. While the chicks have started to eat a bit on their own, their parents are still primarily feeding them with “milk” that is produced from both Mom and Dad’s crop glands. This milk production is triggered by the secretion of a hormone called prolactin and has a bright red color, thanks to a pigment called canthaxanthin.

The parents will continue to feed the chicks until the young fledglings are able to fly and have a bent beak, which usually happens 65 to 70 days after hatch. Once they leave their nests, the young chicks will stay close by each other as they join the larger group on view at the zoo’s Flamingo Lagoon. In the wild, young flamingos form groups called crèches—which are looked after by a designated group of adult guardians—and serve as a sort of daycare for the young birds.

Chilean flamingos are listed as a Near Threatened species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Egg harvesting and hunting, as well as habitat loss from mining and recreational activities are the biggest threats to the birds. The native habitat for Chilean Flamingos spans beyond just their namesake country; the species can be found from Peru through the Andes and from Uruguay to Tierra del Fuego.

These birds are built for extreme conditions like the elevated altitude in their native Andes Mountains and can thrive in a wide range of temperatures. Their feathers provide an insulating layer, and they can tuck their heads and feet into their bodies to keep warm. Like all animals with outdoor habitats at Lincoln Park Zoo, the Chilean flamingos have an indoor habitat as well that they can choose to be in if they ever want to a respite during Chicago’s colder months.

Welcome the new chicks to Lincoln Park Zoo with a flamingo ADOPT package! Visit lpzoo.org/adopt to learn more.

About Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo inspires communities to create environments where wildlife will thrive in our urbanizing world. The zoo is a leader in local and global conservation, animal care and welfare, learning, and science. A historic Chicago landmark founded in 1868, the not-for-profit Lincoln Park Zoo is a privately-managed, member-supported organization and is free and open 365 days a year. Visit us at lpzoo.org.

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