Greater Flamingo vs Andean Flamingo
Phoenicopterus roseus compared with Phoenicoparrus andinus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greater Flamingo | Andean Flamingo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phoenicopterus roseus | Phoenicoparrus andinus |
| Order | Phoenicopteriformes | Phoenicopteriformes |
| Family | Phoenicopteridae | Phoenicopteridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 160.0 cm (63.0 in) | 85.0 cm (33.5 in) |
| Weight | 3500.0 g (123.46 oz) | 3100.0 g (109.35 oz) |
| Diet | Algae, diatoms, brine shrimp, and small crustaceans filtered from shallow alkaline or saline water. Carotenoid … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Greater Flamingo
Shallow alkaline or saline lakes, coastal lagoons, mudflats, and salt pans. Requires large undisturbed areas for breeding colonies.
Song & Call Comparison
Greater Flamingo
Loud, nasal goose-like honking 'ka-ha' calls, often in chorus at breeding colonies. Also gives softer gabbling and grunting sounds while feeding and preening.
Andean Flamingo
Geographic Range & Migration
Greater Flamingo
Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. Irregular visitor to northern Europe.
Andean Flamingo
Conservation Status
Greater Flamingo
Andean Flamingo
How to Tell Them Apart
Greater Flamingo
Predominantly white-pink plumage with bright crimson-pink wing coverts revealed in flight. Long pink legs and a sinuous neck. Intensity of color depends on diet.
Large, downward-bent bill — pink with a black tip, adapted for filter feeding
Andean Flamingo
About These Birds
Greater Flamingo
The greater flamingo is the most widespread flamingo species and one of the most recognizable birds in the world. Their pink color comes entirely from carotenoid pigments in their crustacean and algal diet. Flamingos are social birds that breed in enormous colonies sometimes numbering tens of thousands.
Andean Flamingo
Andean Flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus) is a large 100–110 cm flamingo of high Andean salt lakes. Pale pink with bright yellow legs; black lower body; heavy pink-and-black bill. Restricted to puna lakes above 3,500 m in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Vulnerable; world population only ~38,000. Feeds on diatoms and invertebrates.