15 November 2012

American flamingo feeding, Isla Isabela


I first saw flamingos in India, just outside Jamnagar, in early 2007, and in 2011 I saw two species of flamingo in great numbers on the wind-swept, high altitude lakes of the Bolivian altiplano. But it was on Isla Isabela in the Galápagos earlier in the 2011 South American journey that I saw the most brilliantly coloured flamingos. Apparently, diet affects the vividness of the colour, so whatever these American flamingos were feeding on must have had a powerful influence. This was one of the birds that frequented the Poza Salinas, the small saline lake near my hostel on the edge of Puerto Villamil.


[12 September 2011, Panasonic Lumix GH1, 100–300 mm at 228 mm, ISO 400, 1/1600 at f7.1]

All content © 2012 Pete McGregor

4 comments:

Zhoen said...

Gorgeous, flashy birdies.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brycewgarner/5493028971/

Relatively Retiring said...

Orange and magenta might clash in some situations, but not in this one!

Anonymous said...

The only wild flamingos I've ever see were along Ruta 40. Even from afar they were beautiful to behold. You captured some exquisite detail. Love this photo. Maureen

pohanginapete said...

Zhoen, definitely flashy. If there was a flamingo anywhere, you couldn't help noticing it.

RR, good point. Nature can be remarkably adept with colours.

Maureen, thanks :^) Those were probably Chilean flamingos (which aren't confined to Chile!). Spectacular, like all flamingos, but not quite as vivid as these.