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Five baby flamingos hatch at Detroit Zoo

Posted at 11:21 AM, Aug 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-30 17:01:19-04

The flamingo family at the Detroit Zoo just got a little bigger!

Zoo staff announced Thursday the hatching of five flamingo chicks in recent weeks. The babies -- four greater flamingos and one Chilean flamingo -- are being cared for in the Zoo's African bird habitat.

Greater flamingos are born gray and white and don't turn pink until age 2. Chilean flamingos are born with grayish-brown feathers that turn pink in about 10 weeks. 

The new chicks bring the zoo's flamingo flock to 59 greater flamingos and 21 Chilean flamingos. They all share a habitat with spoonbills, storks, cranes and vultures.

Flamingos can live more than 20 years in the wild and twice as long in human care. 

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Detroit Zoo visitors to see flamingo chicks and super-attentive flamingo parents,” said Scott Carter, DZS chief life sciences officer. “It will be fun to watch these five downy little chicks grow into tall, pink flamingos.”