THE FLAMINGOS OF THE CYPRUS SALT LAKES
AN ANNUAL VISIT FROM A MAJESTIC BIRD
As winter approaches, the salt lakes of Cyprus once again brace for the arrival of one of the most beautiful pink and whites feathered sensations to grace the skies. This Greater Flamingo, with its slendour tall body and jet black beak is perhaps the island’s most poignant visitor every winter. Arriving in droves, this bird continues to attract crowds to Cyprus’s salt lakes and bird enthusiasts visit these areas to see, document and photograph the majestic birds in all of their splendour.  . Â
WINTER MIGRATION
Winter marks the time when thousands of migrating birds visit Cypriot shores. It a most favourable time for both nature lovers and bird watchers on the island. One of the most spectacular events in the bird migration calendar, is the annual stop over of the Greater Flamingo. These birds mainly congregate around the salt lakes of Larnaca, but they can also be found at the Akrotiri, Oroklini and Paralimni Salt Lakes.
MIGRATIONARY CYCLE
The Greater Flamingo is mainly found in northern coastal and sub-saharan Africa. They can also be found in the Indian sub-continent, all over the Middle East, and the Mediterranean countries of Southern Europe. Cyprus is part of the North African birds migrationary cycle and they generally arrive in Cyprus as early as November. They have been known to spend up to 5 months on the island and they mainly spend their time on the extensive mud flats of the salt lakes, where they live, feed and breed.
THE BIG COUNT
The flamingos numbers on the island tend to peak in January, after rain fills the salt lakes with fresh water. This time marks the annual counting of the birds and on average, roughly 10,000 to 15,000 flamingos stop off at the isalnds salt lakes. The frequent fliers normally travel from salt lake to salt lake, finding safety in numbers. They live, feed and breed in large groups, and this helps protect individual birds from predators while their heads are down feeding. The bird uses its webbed feet to stir up the mud, then sucks water through its adapted black-tipped bill. They filter out small pink shrimp like crustacions, seeds, algae, microscopic organisms, plankton, tiny fish, fly larvae and molluscs.
GREATER FLAMINGO FACTS
Â
The Greater Flamingo is the largest living species of flamingo. It has no sub-species, so is therefore monotypic. Their call is a likened to that of a goose-like honking and it is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. The Greater Flamingo’s natural habitat is warm, watery regions and they tend to favour estuaries and saline or alkaline lakes. A Greater Flamingo can be described as a tall, pink bird with a long, lean, curved neck.. These flamingos are fluid swimmers and their slender bodies allow them to fly with grace and elegance for great distances. The typical lifespan of a Greater Flamingo in the wild, is between 30 and 40 years and these majestic birds have few natural predators, Their primary threats are bacteria, toxins, and pollution in water supplies. The famous pink birds measure between 40 and 60 inches tall, and weigh on average between two to four kilos.
PINK IN COLOUR
Most of the plumage of an adult Greater Flamingo is pink and white, but the wing coverts are red. The primary and secondary flight feathers are usually black and the bill is pink with a restricted black tip. Their legs are usually entirely pink. The Greater Flamingo’s off-spring are born grey and white and they usually retain these colours for up two years. The excessive amount of pink shrimp like crustaceans are responsible for the flamingo’s pink color in adult life.
A SINGLE EGG
During the breeding season, Greater Flamingos attract mates by releasing a chemical that enhances the colour of their plumage. A short courting then mating period takes place and then a single egg is usually laid on the summit of a mud mound. The male and female usually take turns to both incubate the egg and after the chick is born, they both continue to rear the chick, offering protection because of the risk posed by other birds that hunt both both the eggs and flamingo chicks.Â
