GaiaZOO's animal collection has grown significantly with the arrival of 400 greater flamingos—the largest group in any European zoo. Such impressive flocks are only rivaled by those in Singapore and Dubai. Their new home is a expansive 3,000 m² aviary featuring a lush, varied wetland environment. This design provides these social colony birds ample space to exhibit their natural behaviors, perfectly aligning with GaiaZOO's animal welfare philosophy.
Among the six flamingo species, the greater flamingo stands tallest at about 150 cm. Its elegant white-pink plumage accented with orange, distinctive downward-curving pink bill tipped in black, exceptionally long neck, and deep pink legs make it a breathtaking sight. Native to regions from Africa through southern Europe to Asia, this colony of 400 originated from a German bird park where they had outgrown their enclosure. Over the past 25 years, the group has developed into a diverse, tightly knit social unit spanning various ages and subtle color variations, enhancing its visual spectacle.
Greater flamingos thrive in large colonies in shallow waters, often mingling with other species. To mirror this, GaiaZOO's exhibit includes vibrant companions like cattle egrets, knob-billed ducks, hammerkops, and vocal hadada ibises. In the wild, they sift algae and small crustaceans from water using their curved bills in a back-and-forth motion—the pigments in their diet lending their feathers that iconic pink hue.
