✦ The Spark
A group of flamingos has the best name ever — it's called a flamboyance!
The Story
Flamingos are already pretty fancy. They have bright pink feathers, super long legs, and they stand on one foot a lot. So it makes sense that a group of them has the fanciest name of any animal group.
When lots of flamingos get together, we call it a flamboyance. Say it out loud — flam-BOY-ance! It even sounds fancy. Some flamboyances have thousands of flamingos all gathered together at a lake, making the whole water look pink.
Here's a bonus secret: flamingos are NOT born pink. Baby flamingos are grey and white! They turn pink slowly as they eat tiny pink shrimp and little plants. The more pink food they eat, the pinker they get. A flamingo that didn't eat enough pink food would actually turn white!
Make Your Prediction
What colour are baby flamingos when they are born?
Pick your answer to reveal the explanation.
Today's Challenge
Stand on one leg like a flamingo and count how long you can balance. Now try to say "flamboyance" five times fast while still standing on one leg!
Talk About It
If you were in charge of naming animal groups, what would you call a group of dogs?
Why do you think flamingos all like to stand together in huge groups?
If you only ate orange food for a whole year, do you think you might turn orange?
Go Deeper
The biggest flamingo flamboyance ever recorded had over three million flamingos at Lake Nakuru in Kenya. From above, the whole lake looked like a giant pink carpet.