One flamingo honks, comical full scale squabble follows
Flamingos are a vibrant and beautiful bird, magnificent in both size and vivid colour. They are a joy to behold and a peaceful sight when they are resting at the edge of a pond or a marsh. But Flamingoes can also be loud when they are disturbed, as we see here. A Canada goose is resting with the flamingoes, just off camera to the left. He suddenly honks and wakes up the sleepy flamingoes. What happens next is a comical brawl involving honking, squabbling and feigned pecking at each other. Aside from a bit of harmless beak rubbing, there is nothing substantial about this episode, but the sound of it suggests that an enthusiastic fight has broken out.
Great debates have raged regarding the flamingo's habit of standing on one leg. One theory is that this is to assist with conservation of body heat. When flamingos feed and wade in colder water, they lose heat through their legs. Adopting a sleeping position with one leg out of the water lessens the heat loss while they are sleeping or resting. Sleeping in a mud flat or pond allows them to hear the telltale splashing if a threat approaches while their guard is down. But flamingos in warmer climates and those that feed in warm water adopt the same sleeping position so this theory is contradicted in some cases.
Another theory is that the muscular effort to stand on one leg is much less so the position is adopted to reduce energy expenditure required for balance. Studies show that resting flamingos sway less than those that rest on two legs.
Flamingos are gorgeous birds and so brightly coloured that we cannot help but admire them. When gathered in a group, they are simply breath taking in their beauty.
