Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

Beak

—

Feet

—

Crest

No crest

Resident and winter visitor. Breeds in Gujarat; widespread visitor to plains. I) Larger than Lesser. with longer. thinner neck and longer legs. Bill larger and less prominently kinked. Adult from adult Lesser by paler pink bill with prominent dark tip, and pink facial skin. Has pinkish-white head. neck and body, although Lesser can be similar. Comparatively uniform crimson-pink upperwing-coverts contrast in flight with paler. whitish body. Immature has greyish-white head, neck and body; brown-streaked coverts, bill grey tipped black, and legs grey (pinker with age). Juvenile has brownish head, neck and body, with heavy brown streaking to upperparts. Immerses head in shallow water with bill inverted and filters food. Shallow brackish lakes, mudflats and saltpans.