Nearly five weeks ago, incubated coolers full of pearly flamingo eggs arrived at the Denver Zoo from the Miami Metro Zoo. Today, the Denver Zoo announced the addition of 19 flamingo chicks to its avian collection.
The flamingos, which pecked through their shells between June 22 and July 1, have downy grey and white feathers and orange beaks, according to a zoo news release. They are part of the American flamingo species, which makes its home in the coastal lagoons around the Caribbean and northern South America.
The chicks are still stumbling through their very first steps, but eventually they will grow to be five feet tall and take on vibrant pink coloring. Their diet, consisting of carotene-rich crustaceans, will support and intensify the dazzling color.
Because the chicks are still being hand-raised and cared for around the clock, they are not yet on display to the public. Visitors will eventually be able to see them in the zoo’s Avian Propagation Center.
Liv Gold: 303-954-1311 or lgold@denverpost.com
