Fauna
Bird

Chilean Flamingo

Phoenicopterus chilensis

Also known as Flamenco Chileno

Chilean flamingos wade through shallow alkaline mountain lakes and coastal lagoons, using their specialized down-curved bills to filter tiny invertebrates from soft sediments. Their pale pink plumage features bright crimson wing coverts and black flight feathers that reveal themselves dramatically during flight display routines. Large colonies gather on muddy flats to construct cone-shaped mud nests, where parents take turns incubating a single chalky egg.

Wading BirdSocialFilter Feeder
Chilean Flamingo reference1 / 7
(c) David F. Belmonte, some rights reserved (CC BY) / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Near ThreatenedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNear ThreatenedRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyBrine Shrimp, Diatoms, Water Boatmen
Predators
  • Culpeo Fox
  • Andean Condor
  • Kelp Gull
ThreatsHabitat disruption from lithium mining, water extraction, and human disturbance at nesting sites
HabitatsAlkaline lakes, salt pans, brackish lagoons, and coastal estuaries
Life span30–40 years in the wild
Classification
  1. OrderPhoenicopteriformes
  2. FamilyPhoenicopteridae
  3. GenusPhoenicopterus
  4. SpeciesPhoenicopterus chilensis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice
Look for pale pink plumage, greyish legs with bright pink joints, and a bill with extensive black on the tip.
Support conservation
Remain on designated shorelines and avoid approaching nesting mudflats or disturbing active feeding groups.
Responsible observation
  • Keep Distance: Maintain a respectful buffer to avoid startling feeding or roosting flocks into flight.
  • Use Optics: Observe subtle head-flagging and wing-salute courtship displays through binoculars or a scope.
  • Respect Nesting Sites: Steer clear of sensitive mudflat breeding colonies during the spring nesting season.
Related species
Keep collecting in Fauna

Found in Collections

Ecosystem chain

Wetland Territory

Chilean Flamingo is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.

—/12
Continue in the app
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?

Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.

Checking your Fauna account…