The colors of the greater flamingo - Chiara Tinti

Name:
Chiara Tinti

Email:
chiara.tinti92@gmail.com

Country:
Italia

Social networks:
https://www.facebook.com/claire.festinalente/

Title:
The colors of the greater flamingo

Species or element:
Greater flamingo

Description:
The greater flamingo is found in Africa, on the Indian subcontinent, in the Middle Eastand southern Europe. The coloration comes from the carotenoid pigments in the organisms that live in their feeding grounds. Secretions of the uropygial gland also contain carotenoids. During the breeding season, greater flamingos increase the frequency of their spreading uropygial secretions over their feathers and thereby enhance their color. The bird resides in mudflats and shallow coastal lagoons. Using its feet, the bird stirs up the mud, then sucks water through its bill and filters out small shrimp, seeds, blue-green algae, microscopic organisms and mollusks. The greater flamingo feeds with its head down and its upper jaw is movable and not rigidly fixed to its skull.

Category:
Handmade

Technique:
Watercolor pencils and china

Year:
2017

As the author of illustration I have given permission for it to be loaded on Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0.