Flamingo go go! | Oregon Zoo

Did you know that flamingo chicks are born covered in soft, fluffy gray feathers instead of the bright pink color we associate with adults? This is because they haven’t yet developed the pigments that give flamingos their iconic hue. As they grow, their diet—rich in carotenoids from algae, shrimp, and other tiny organisms—gradually changes their color. Over time, these natural pigments build up in their feathers, slowly transforming them from gray to pale pink, and eventually into the vibrant sh