Six Chilean flamingo chicks were reared by Andean flamingos – a species of similar size and behaviour – at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre in the summer of 2018.
Six Chilean flamingo chicks were reared by Andean flamingos – a species of similar size and behaviour – at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre in the summer of 2018. University of Exeter scientists studied the chicks' behaviour after they re-joined the Chilean flamingo flock early in 2019.
The results showed fostering had no negative effects, with fostered flamingos still forming stable social ties – making "friends" and behaving like parent-reared birds. "Slimbridge's Andean flamingos hadn't nested for about 20 years," said Dr Paul Rose, of the University of Exeter.
"But in the hot summer of 2018 – probably due to the high temperatures – they made nests and laid eggs.
Read More: University of Exeter
Andean flamingos with newly hatched Chilean flamingo foster chicks, summer 2018. (Photo Credit: Paul Rose)
