Near Threatened
Lesser Flamingo
Phoeniconaias minor
About Lesser Flamingo
Lesser flamingos are the smallest of the six flamingo species, but they form the largest flocks: up to 1 million birds on Lake Natron in Tanzania. Their pink colour comes from carotenoids in the blue-green algae they filter-feed. East Africa is the global stronghold: three-quarters of the world's lesser flamingos live here. The best places to see them are Lake Nakuru, Lake Bogoria, and Lake Natron. Numbers have declined due to lake pollution and rising water levels.
Did you know?
Flamingos eat with their heads upside down, since the filter system only works that way.
Where to see them
Lake Nakuru
Lake Bogoria
Lake Natron
Lake Manyara