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Super helpful member
Hi All
Can anybody advise which is the best place to see the pink flamingos at the natural parks.
Not sure whether to visit Torrevieja and/or La Mata Natural Parks?.
Thanks in advance, Steve
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 4:55am
Legendary helpful member
If you want pink, I think you'd need to visit Las Salinas de Torrevieja. The best time to go is during the breeding season. I know it's what they eat that colours their plumage, but I prefer to think they're coming to Torrevieja on holiday and get a sun tan.
Laguna de la Mata has its own visitor centre but the flamingos I've seen on there have been white.
Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 9:05am
Helpful member
Best place is the salt lakes of Santa Pola, usually hundreds there.
As Jim says its what they eat - a chemical in the blue mud - that turns them pink, but normally the pink lake at Torrevieja is too saline for them.
The type of flamingo we get in Spain are generally white with bright pink flashes on their wings.
The really pink flamingos are generally found in America.
Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2018 12:39pm
Helpful member
Yes, this is the popular misconception.
London zoo were puzzled because although they were feeding their flamingos brine shrimp, they lost their colour.
After some research, they discovered the chemical needed was found in the 'blue' mud on the bottom of the salt lakes.
(Info courtesy of QI) :)
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