flamingo

Everyday

1. A flamingo is a tall wading bird with long thin legs, a long bendy neck, pink feathers and a curved beak, that lives in big groups by lakes and lagoons. tree →
2. A plastic flamingo is a pink garden ornament, a joke symbol of fancy American gardens. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons flamingos show how diet changes the body: they are pink because of the pink-coloured food they eat, like tiny shrimps and algae. They feed with their heads upside down, filtering water through their beaks. They often stand on one leg. A group is sometimes called a «flamboyance» of flamingos. Phrases: «stand on one leg like a flamingo», «a flock of flamingos», «pink as a flamingo».

Examples

• A flamingo stood on one leg in the shallow lake. tree →
• Flamingos are pink because of the shrimps and algae they eat. tree →
• A flock of flamingos flew over the salt lake. tree →
• Flamingo chicks are grey and fluffy at first. tree →
• The flamingo fed with its head upside down. tree →
• We did a balance challenge: stand like a flamingo for one minute! tree →
• A group of flamingos can be called a flamboyance. tree →
• John’s, for instance, had a lagoon with flamingoes flying over it at which John was shooting, while Michael, who was very small, had a flamingo with lagoons flying over it. tree →

Note

Plural «flamingos» (also «flamingoes»). Myth: flamingos are not born pink; they turn pink from their food. Scientists are still studying why they stand on one leg; saving body heat and saving energy are two ideas.