Galapagos shore birds - flamingos

The Greater Flamingo arrived from the Caribbean and is the most impressive and colorful of all the lagoon and shore birds. It is also one of the endangered of the species in the islands. Introduced carnivores, like cats and dogs, can easily feed on the chicks.

The flamingos live in small numbers in the brackish waters of lagoons dotted around several of the islands.  Their bright pink colouring stands out against the dark background of volcanic lava. It is thought that fewer than 500 flamingos are now present on Galapagos.  Unlike much wildlife on the islands, these birds are nervous and will normally only be viewed in the distance.  They will often desert their nests if disturbed

Flamingos love privacy: They do not tolerate disturbances when breeding; their nests consist of mounds of mud. Flamingos feed on crustaceans and plants, and live in Floreana, Isabela, Rabida, Santa Cruz, and Santiago.