Learn why flamingos have pink feathers and how eating brine shrimp changes their color, explained simply for kids.
Flamingos are beautiful birds with bright pink feathers. But did you know they are not born with pink feathers? They start off with gray or white feathers when they are babies!
The reason flamingos turn pink is because of what they eat. Flamingos like to eat tiny animals called brine shrimp, which live in salty lakes. These shrimp have special things called pigments inside, which are natural colors.
When flamingos eat lots of brine shrimp, their bodies take these pigments and put them into their feathers. This changes the feathers from gray or white to bright pink or orange!
So, flamingos get their beautiful pink color from eating their favorite food, brine shrimp!