A few shots of a Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) at the Laguna Nimez Reserve in Calafate, Argentina. My first interaction in the Americas with these large beautiful creatures.

As per eBird, the adult is distinctive, pale pink with salmon-pink “bustle” and grayish legs with red feet and “knees”. I only watched them for a few minutes from a distance and mostly remember their dark black bills and how one’s brief and brilliant wing flutter scared off about a hald dozen ducks that were swimming in its wake.

Chilean Flamingo in brief (with assist from WordPress AI but double-checked by me):

• Size: Approximately 80-90 cm (31-35 in) tall.
• Diet: Primarily feeds on algae, crustaceans, and small invertebrates.
• Habitat: Inhabits shallow lakes, salt flats, and lagoons.
• Physical Description: Distinctive pale pink plumage with salmon-pink “bustle,” grayish legs, red feet, and “knees.”
• Breeding: Forms large colonies for breeding; nests are built from mud, typically in shallow water.
• Conservation Status: Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though habitat loss is a concern.
• Unique Behaviors: Known for their synchronized feeding and communal nesting habits.
• Range and Migration: Found primarily in South America, including Chile, Argentina, and parts of Brazil; some populations are migratory, moving between breeding and feeding areas based on seasonal changes.

Links for further reference:

• Chilean Flamingo at Birds of the World
• Chilean Flamingo at BirdLife DataZone
• Chilean Flamingo at eBird
• Chilean Flamingo at Avibase
• Chilean Flamingo at Wikipedia
• Chilean Flamingo at iNaturalist

Images from 9 Feb 2013; last updated 5 Aug 2025.