Flamingos are pink because of their diet.
Flamingos have become synonymous with pink, but that’s not the only colour they come in. The iconic birds can also be seen in shades of white and grey. However, flamingos are pink because of the food they eat, which is made up of shrimp and algae. The pigments in these foods make the birds’ feathers a bright shade of pink.
The pigment that makes flamingos turn pink is called carotenoids. These compounds are found in a variety of sources, including carrots and tomatoes. While flamingos get their carotenoids from shrimp and algae, other animals get theirs from different sources.
