PHOTO ESSAY: Flamingos passing through Israel for the winter
Only a few hundred of these birds that visit Israel in the winter choose to stay here for the whole season
By ITSIK MAROMFamingoes in Israel(photo credit: ITSIK MAROM)
Few birds are unmistakable in the world. Standing or flying, everyone will recognize this one without a problem – that’s a flamingo for sure! It is a big bird with a long neck and legs equipped with a weird-shaped beak and glowing like a flame in bright pink-red while in flight.Only a few hundred of these birds that visit Israel in the winter choose to stay here for the whole season. Most of the population passes through Israel and continues to Africa during the autumn migration. Lucky for us some groups from Turkey and Iran prefer to stay in saline pools located in Atlit and in Eilat.The saline pools are large and shallow, which allow for the evaporation of salt water for the salt mineral industry. During this evaporation process, large amounts of pink species of algae and miniature crustaceans grow on the same water. This pink treasure attracts the slim birds like bees to nectar.The flamingo loves that pink delicacy, and its entire body, including its long neck and legs but especially its beak, developed to deal perfectly with these very hard to collect kinds of food. This explains the flamingo’s long body and sharp curved bill. When the bird feeds, it lowers its long neck and touches the water with its beak, which now is practically parallel to the surface. The flamingo can now move through the water and filter the algae and crustaceans with its unique beak and matching tongue.The young flamingo is mostly gray in color but while growing and feeding on pink crustaceans, the pink pigment accumulates in its feathers and gives the bird its flame of colors and its fame as a great flamingo.All birds have their pride and honor, but the flamingo is particularly special. Catch a glimpse of this wild gem.
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