Among the elegant pink flamingos at the Vienna Zoo Schönbrunn, fluffy, gray "little feathered creatures" are now bustling around: After about 28 days of incubation, nine chicks have hatched, and more eggs are still being incubated. The offspring currently have a gray downy plumage. It takes about three years for the birds to acquire their characteristic pink coloration. In the wild, this is caused by pigments from crustaceans, while in the zoo, it is achieved through a specially formulated diet.

Joy at Vienna Zoo

Zoo director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck expressed his delight over the breeding success on Thursday: "For successful flamingo breeding, many factors must optimally come together: from selecting harmonious breeding pairs to setting up suitable breeding islands and specifically adjusting the diet. But the weather conditions must also be right. Rain combined with the right temperatures are parameters that we cannot influence."

Farewell to Flamingos

In 2024, there were also a dozen chicks among the Schönbrunn pink flamingos. To maintain a balanced group size and support other zoological gardens in establishing stable breeding groups, some of these young birds will be given away after the breeding season as part of the European Endangered Species Program.

(APA/Red)

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