Phoenix – Phoenicopterus roseus

Flamingos or flamingos are birds of the genus Flamingos. It is a bird found all over the world and has a characteristic pink plumage. It is tall and slender with thin legs and a hooked nose. The name flamingo comes from the Portuguese or Spanish word “flamengo”, which means “one who has the color of flame”. Also, the Greek word “phoinikopteros” has a similar meaning and means “the one with blood-red wings”. Palms acquire the characteristic pink color on their wings as they grow, consuming tiny Artemia shrimp, which they search for in the shallow waters of wetlands. Flamingos feed mainly on shrimps, algae, and aquatic plants.

Their feathers have various shades of orange and pink color which is due to the pigments of the food they consume (carotenoid pigments). The phoenix is ​​120-145 cm long, 187 cm high, wingspan 140-170 cm and weighs 3-4 kg for the male and 2-3.3 kg for the female. It has a slender body and long narrow legs and neck. The plumage in adults is white, but often turns pink, due to the pigment it gets from its food. Its wings are light or dark red with black tips. Its beak is pink with a black tip. Juveniles are dark grey-brown with a white rump and almost black legs. The greater flamingo lives in shallow coastal wetlands, such as coastal lagoons, flooded areas, salt and fresh lakes, salt marshes or estuaries, in small but large colonies. It becomes sexually mature at the age of 2-3 years. It is a monogamous species that nests in colonies. The female lays 1-2 eggs which she incubates for 28-29 days. The young leave the nest 70-75 days after hatching. In Greece, the palm copter is a regular migratory visitor that we meet in our country usually in March when it flies to the north and in September-October when it returns to Africa.

PRESERVATION STATUS:
Internationally, the greater flamingo is not currently threatened. Its strict protection in the Mediterranean areas has led to a significant increase in its population and the creation of colonies. According to the IUCN red list, it is globally classified as a species of reduced concern (LC: Least Concern). Despite attempts, there is still no stable colony in Greece and Cyprus, although it occurs by the thousands in some coastal wetlands.

THREATS:
The main threat to palm otters is the accumulation of lead in the sediments of the lagoons or wetlands where they forage, resulting from such shrapnel by hunters hunting within the wetlands.

TARGET GROUPS:
The professional fishermen of the lagoons of Lefkada, ordinary citizens, environmental protection associations in the area of ​​interest.