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<h2>The colour pink and flamingos are synonymous with each other</h2>
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<p>                <small class="img-credit">Image via <a target="_blank" href="https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/flamingo" rel="noopener">National Geographic Kids</a></small>
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<h2>But did you know flamingos aren&#8217;t born pink?</h2>
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<p>Yep, they are born with some pretty standard grey feathers.</p>
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<p>                <small class="img-credit">Image via <a target="_blank" href="https://animalcorner.org/blog/baby-flamingo-facts/" rel="noopener">Animal Corner</a></small>
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<h2>So, how on earth do they end up looking like a walking sunset?</h2>
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<p>The phrase &#8220;you are what you eat&#8221; is true for flamingos, as they <i>really</i> are what they eat.</p>
<p>Yes, their pink colour is all about their diet.</p>
<p>Flamingos are foodies of the aquatic world, chowing down on algae, crustaceans, and all sorts of tiny underwater delights. And those meals come packed with beta-carotene, the same stuff that makes <a href="https://says.com/my/news/woman-turns-orange-after-eating-carrots-every-day-for-3-months-to-lose-weight">carrots</a> pop with colour.</p>
<p>So, while the flamingos are enjoying their underwater buffet, the beta-carotene gets absorbed into their bloodstream, and the real magic goes down in their liver.</p>
<p>Enzymes break down the beta-carotene into these fantastic pink and orange pigment molecules. And voilà! The pigments take a trip to the feathers, skin, and beaks, turning the grey-feathered standard birds into the dazzling pink divas we know and love.</p>
<p>Who knew the secret to being pretty in pink was hidden in the menu of these elegant birds?</p>
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<p>                <small class="img-credit">Image via <a target="_blank" href="https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/why-are-flamingos-pink-and-other-flamingo-facts" rel="noopener">National Zoo</a></small>
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<h2>Essentially, the more a flamingo eats a diet rich in carotenoids, the pinker their feathers get. Remove carotenoid from their diet, and a flamingo&#8217;s feathers would slowly return to their pale grey colour.</h2>
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<p>However, it&#8217;s not so common in the wild. If the flamingos are in captivity and don&#8217;t get to eat enough shrimp to turn pink, they&#8217;ll stay grey. Sometimes, they can be black or white too.</p>
<p>Basically, a flamingo&#8217;s colour varies depending on what it eats.</p>
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<p>                <small class="img-credit">Image via <a target="_blank" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandeepak/16211593668" rel="noopener">Sandeep Gangadharan/flickr</a></small>
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<h2>It&#8217;s not just flamingos. Even humans can turn pink if they eat a diet rich in carotenoids. Like this woman in China who turned orange:</h2>
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Did You Know: Flamingos Aren't Born With Their Iconic Pink Colour

Did You Know: Flamingos Aren’t Born With Their Iconic Pink Colour