Greater Flamingo vs Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Phoenicopterus roseus compared with Cicinnurus respublica
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greater Flamingo | Wilson's Bird-of-paradise |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phoenicopterus roseus | Cicinnurus respublica |
| Order | Phoenicopteriformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Phoenicopteridae | Paradisaeidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) | 16.0 cm (6.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 160.0 cm (63.0 in) | 19.0 cm (7.5 in) |
| Weight | 3500.0 g (123.46 oz) | 55.0 g (1.94 oz) |
| Diet | Algae, diatoms, brine shrimp, and small crustaceans filtered from shallow alkaline or saline water. Carotenoid … | Fruit and insects gleaned from the forest canopy and subcanopy. Particularly favors figs. |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Greater Flamingo only
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise only
Greater Flamingo
Shallow alkaline or saline lakes, coastal lagoons, mudflats, and salt pans. Requires large undisturbed areas for breeding colonies.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Lowland and hill forests on the small islands of Waigeo and Batanta in the Raja Ampat archipelago, Indonesia.
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.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Male gives a harsh, nasal 'waah' or 'eeah' from display perch. Song is poorly documented in wild. Also produces mechanical rattling wing sounds during display flights.
Geographic Range & Migration
Greater Flamingo
Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. Irregular visitor to northern Europe.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Endemic to the islands of Waigeo and Batanta off the northwestern tip of New Guinea, Indonesia.
Conservation Status
Greater Flamingo
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
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
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Males have a brilliant red back, yellow nape, turquoise blue bare crown, and green breast shield. Violet-blue curled tail wires. Females are brownish with bare blue crown.
Short, slightly curved greyish bill
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.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Wilson's bird-of-paradise is one of the most extraordinarily colored birds on Earth. Males meticulously clear a patch of forest floor as a display court, removing every leaf and twig. The species was virtually unknown to science until the late 20th century due to its restricted island range.