The oddly-shaped beak of the flamingo is specially adapted to separate mud and silt from food - and they usually use the beak upside-down (photo by Kenn Stearns)

The pink color of flamingos comes from carotenoid proteins in their diet of animal (e.g. brine shrimp) and plant (e.g. algae) plankton. Enzymes in their liver break down the proteins into pigments – saturation varies by species and associated diet. It is still not fully understood why they stand on one leg.

Flamingo Flocking is a service offered by the Houston Zoo, along with many other variations provided by various charitable initiatives. A flock of plastic flamingo lawn ornaments will be delivered by bird keepers to the Houston-area address of your choice. There are of course associated flocking representatives, flocking events, flocking teams, and a flamingo rescue service.