1 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:08,560 Speaker 1: Ruby. 2 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 2: Hi, I'm Rich Schwartz, but don't see this world. 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: I'm Marco Wentt and this. 4 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 3: Is Amazing Wildlife, a podcast that explores unique stories of 5 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 3: wildlife from around the world and uncovers fascinating animal facts. 6 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 3: This podcast is in production with iHeartRadio's Ruby Studio and 7 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 3: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in international nonprofit conservation organization 8 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 3: which oversees the San Diego Zoo and this beautiful place, 9 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:31,319 Speaker 3: the San Diego Zoom Safari Park. 10 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 2: M M. 11 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: That was my hornbill here. Yeah, yeah, but you brought 12 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: it right to us. I really did you know? Because 13 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: we are at the beautiful Safari park right. Not only that, my. 14 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 4: Friend, we have birds behind us, a beautiful species of flamingo. 15 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: Right. Yeah's great. 16 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:49,919 Speaker 3: And if our listeners want to see where we are, 17 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 3: coming up pretty soon on YouTube, we'll be doing this 18 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 3: visual podcast. It's being filmed right now, so if you're 19 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 3: watching it, Soda, you can see us. But if you 20 00:00:57,520 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 3: listen only you might want to check it out. And 21 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 3: of course we'll let people yeacial media whe it's available. 22 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, tons of things going on to so Amanda, we're 23 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,559 Speaker 4: in the habitat, so don't step on any flamingo poop. 24 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: Point about it does wash off. 25 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 4: It does right, Yeah, but I'm excited. I'm excited about 26 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 4: the visual component. But also, friend, we have something that's 27 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 4: happening at the Safari Park now called Wildlife Awareness DAGE, 28 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 4: so certain species throughout the year that our wildlife care 29 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 4: staff are going to help promote support in different kind 30 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:21,919 Speaker 4: of ways. 31 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 2: What one would we want to talk about? What wildlife? 32 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 4: I wonder, Well, we're looking at these beautiful flamingos behind us, 33 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 4: right and it happens to be signor International Flamingo Day 34 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 4: on the twenty sixth of April, that's a Saturday, and 35 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 4: this episode is going to air right before, so we thought, 36 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 4: why not top flamingos. 37 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 3: Right, diming, Now, do we have a flamingo line up 38 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 3: we can talk with? 39 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 4: Not a flaming We got a few behind us right now, 40 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 4: but we have someone very special I think flamingos specialists 41 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 4: that we're going to talk to you today. 42 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 5: Very good morning, good morning, almost as good and. 43 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, oh so excited to be here, and especially in 44 00:01:57,160 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 4: this wonderful habitat. 45 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: I love this area of the Safari Park. 46 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 4: Oh and our guests they can see these greater flamingos, Right, 47 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 4: this is a species are highlighting if they ride the 48 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 4: African tram, which is included in everyone's sect, which I 49 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 4: absolutely love about that. 50 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:11,799 Speaker 1: But there's a lot to talk about about flamingos. 51 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 4: Right, Sometimes I think like not everyone knows what a 52 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 4: flamingo is, which I know sounds really funny, Aaron, But 53 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 4: see the person who maybe there's someone in the world 54 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 4: they've never even heard of a flamingo, which I know 55 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 4: is very shocking. 56 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 3: Well, wait, the other part of it too, might be 57 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 3: the only interaction you've ever heard of. 58 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 2: The flamingo is a plastic one on someone's long. 59 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, which is not accurate. 60 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,239 Speaker 4: So, yeah, tell us what's a flamingo. 61 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:37,799 Speaker 5: Well, the plastic ones are, They're pretty close. Depends on 62 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 5: the type of flamingo you're thinking of. So the ones 63 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 5: that you would normally see as a lawn ornament. 64 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 6: Are very very bright pink. 65 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 5: But the flamingos that we're looking at just behind us 66 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 5: are greater flamingos, and they're. 67 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 6: A lot lighter in color and much bigger than a 68 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 6: lawn ornament. 69 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 5: So flamingos are long legged, very tall, often pink birds 70 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,799 Speaker 5: some shade of pink and the greater flamingos that we're 71 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 5: looking at behind us are actually the largest species. 72 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 6: Of flamingo in the world. The greater they are the greatest. 73 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 2: There's a lot of different species. 74 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 3: You mentioned the species here, but you also mentioned that 75 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 3: the lawn armed ones. 76 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 2: Are very pink. 77 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 3: That's right, and there are some species that are very pink, 78 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 3: But ours behind us right now aren't. 79 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 2: Why is that. 80 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 6: Not quite as pink? 81 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 5: So this is a question that actually does come up 82 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 5: quite a bit for our guests that do see the 83 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,639 Speaker 5: species of flamingo as they're riding our tram. All flamingos, 84 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 5: depending on the species, they metabolize the food that they're 85 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 5: eating a little bit differently, and that is what determines 86 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 5: the pigment and the pink in their feathers. So an 87 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 5: interesting fact is there are six different species of flamingos. Oh. 88 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 6: You can see a couple. 89 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 5: Of them here at the Safari Park and also at 90 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 5: the San Diego Zoo, all different, but all fed the 91 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 5: exact same diet, so they get fed the exact same thing. 92 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 5: So if you see the Caribbean flamingos of the San 93 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 5: Diego Zoo, they're much pink er. The very very pink, 94 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 5: and those are the ones that I think the laments 95 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 5: are at ornament, but they get fed the exact same thing. 96 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 5: So it just depends on the species of flamingo, where 97 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 5: they're found, where they live naturally, and how they metabolize 98 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 5: the food. 99 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: That they eat. 100 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 3: And some people will say that it is shrimp that 101 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 3: makes them pink, but that might condrupt the idea of 102 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 3: shrimp we would get at a restaurant shrimp cocktail. 103 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 5: They're not eating shrimp cocktail, shrimp Mark Brian shrimp, so 104 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 5: really small microscopic organisms and also algae, which is also 105 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 5: something that the shrimp are feeding on. So really, if 106 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 5: you're going to get super technical, the flamingos are turning 107 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:43,119 Speaker 5: pink because of the algae that they're eating. 108 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 1: That's interesting. And I also like you mentioned a few 109 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: species already. 110 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 4: I mean, one of my favorite from lingo facts is 111 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 4: they look like a delicate animal, but they live in 112 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 4: some of these hard, sometimes even caustic kind of environments 113 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 4: depending on the species. Maybe a lot of salt in 114 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 4: the water make it very difficult for other animals to survive. 115 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 4: And we mentioned a few, but maybe we should highlight 116 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 4: all all those six right, six species of flamingo. 117 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 1: Right, we said, let's say I'm gonna try this. 118 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 4: Okay, we said the Andean flamingo, right, we said the 119 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 4: James or the Puna flamingo more locally known, right, the 120 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 4: Chilean flamingo. Well, you mentioned the Carribean flamingo, which in 121 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 4: the States you could see maybe in the Gulf of Mexico. 122 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 4: We have the lesser flamingo in Africa, and the one 123 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 4: behind us is the greater flamingo. All right, but all 124 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 4: unique in their own ecosystem, right, but the same kind 125 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 4: of adaptations, right for the way they eat. You mentioned 126 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,280 Speaker 4: the color of the feathers, but that beak is really 127 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 4: unique too. 128 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 1: Can you talk a little about the flamingo beak? 129 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 3: And speaking of the beak and how they eat, some 130 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 3: people mention to notice that it looks like their beak is bent, 131 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:44,919 Speaker 3: not hooked like an eagle or an owls beak, but 132 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 3: it's got sort of this weird bend to it. And 133 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 3: also the upper part of the beak is thinner than the. 134 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 6: Lower part, where we usually think upside down. 135 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, helpe explain why that adaptation. 136 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 5: Exists because of the food that they eat, so they're 137 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 5: actually filter feeders. So when the mingos are feeding, and 138 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 5: we may get no, they're all sleeping, so bring. 139 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 6: Our voices down there. 140 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 5: But if they are awake and they're feeding, their heads 141 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 5: are upside down really, so they're going to filter through 142 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 5: the water to eat those really small organisms. And as 143 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 5: they're taking in all of that water, they're actually squeezing 144 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 5: the water out the sides, so the sides of their 145 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,559 Speaker 5: beaks are they look serrated like they're filtered on the side, 146 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 5: so they're squeezing the water out and then just taking 147 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 5: in the food that they're consuming. 148 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 4: For kids that are listening, kind of reminds of like 149 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 4: balen whales, right, yeah, back pushing all this fluid ocean 150 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 4: water for them, you know, and capturing all those little 151 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 4: microbes as a little yummy little items for them to 152 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 4: survive out there. 153 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 1: You know. 154 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 6: Yes, you'll actually see them out there. 155 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 5: It looks like they're dancing because they'll move their feet 156 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 5: back and forth really really fast too to kind of 157 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 5: stir up all that good stuff. And then you'll see 158 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:50,119 Speaker 5: them filtering through the water. 159 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 2: And that actually kind of steps us into my next question. 160 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:59,039 Speaker 3: Nice their feet stepping up and down. Often I will 161 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 3: hear people when they look at from and gooes they wonder, 162 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 3: why is their knee bending backwards? Because from the visual 163 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 3: the foot is down flat, and then you have a 164 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 3: part of the leg coming up and the joint moves 165 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 3: equivalently backwards to a knee that we're used to seeing, correct, 166 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 3: and then the leg goes up into the body. And 167 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 3: that's it as far as we can visually see on 168 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 3: the outside. But anatomically, that's not actually their knee, right, 169 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 3: It's not. 170 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 5: Their knee, it's their ankle, their ankle, it's their ankles. 171 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 5: So their knees actually located a little bit higher up, 172 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 5: which does bend the quote unquote correct way. Yeah, so 173 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 5: that joint is actually their ankle joint. So when they 174 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 5: are standing and often on one leg, Yeah, a lot 175 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 5: of them are sleeping out there. 176 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 4: Right now, explain that, you know, because that's that's here, right, 177 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 4: the locking like that what is? 178 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 5: Yeah, that joint actually kind of really kind of locks 179 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 5: into place when they're sleeping, so they're not tipping over. 180 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 4: They look pretty sturdy right now. I gotta say, yeah, 181 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 4: that's great. 182 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 5: Yeah, And often people do ask quite a bit why 183 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 5: they stand on one leg, and there's a few ideas 184 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 5: or theories, but really it's primary comfort and we do 185 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 5: it too. You don't really notice it unless you point 186 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 5: it out, but if you're ever standing somewhere for long 187 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 5: periods of time, you tend to kind of like lean 188 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 5: on one leg and take a pressure off one leg. Ye, 189 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 5: And that's really what they're doing. So for comfort, they'll 190 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 5: pull a leg up, and then they also use it 191 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 5: sometimes regulate their body temperature, so you'll see them kind 192 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 5: of alternating those legs. So these guys are found in 193 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 5: very warm weather, but the andy and Flamingos are found 194 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 5: in very very cold weather, so they will pull one 195 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 5: leg up and they can keep it nice warm, and 196 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 5: they can alternate back and forth. 197 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 4: Well, you brought that up because it's an interesting fact 198 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 4: that the andy and Flamingos sometimes they'll live in a 199 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 4: high altitude lakes as an example, and the water can 200 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 4: freeze over, so they're actually a little water lock for 201 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 4: a hot and in the morning, so they need to 202 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 4: get the sun come out and melt away that frozen water. 203 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 1: There. 204 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 4: I love the idea of just again this hard environment 205 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 4: and you see life just flourishing like that. 206 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: You know, it's really great. 207 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 5: Sure, really cold environments are really really tough bird, so 208 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:53,959 Speaker 5: really cold environments they can be found in. And then 209 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 5: the African species, the lesser flamingo, which is not less 210 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 5: than but the smallest flamingo in the world. And then 211 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 5: the eight or flamingos are found in really hot, really dry, 212 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 5: very sunny environments. Yeah, so really tough on the other 213 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 5: end of the spectrum. 214 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: You know. 215 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:10,839 Speaker 4: I was thinking the other day, because everyone knows about it, 216 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 4: if you haven't heard, there are these bald eagles out 217 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 4: in Big Bear, right, And I love this shot because 218 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 4: it really highlights a big, beautiful raptor nest, like you know, 219 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 4: eagles and hawks and falcons. 220 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: Like really unique stick kind of nests. 221 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 4: But can you talk a little bit, because I'm sure 222 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 4: a lot of guests aren't familiar what makes a flamingo 223 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 4: nest so unique, why it looks the way it does, 224 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 4: and why they do what they do. 225 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 5: Sure. Yeah, Flamingos build really really interesting nests, and they 226 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 5: kind of look like little mini volcanoes. So there are 227 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 5: mud nests that they build, and they build them up 228 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 5: really really high, and it's interesting because they start low obviously, 229 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 5: and they're sitting on the ground of what they've started 230 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 5: with these nests, and then they're slowly pulling mud underneath 231 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 5: them and building it beneath their bodies and raising it 232 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 5: up off the ground until they get it to their 233 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:55,599 Speaker 5: desired height and then it kind of bowls out. So 234 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:57,320 Speaker 5: that's where it kind of looks like a volcano for 235 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 5: that one single egg to sit. And the reason they 236 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 5: do that is because they do nest and live in 237 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 5: areas that flood and the water can Yeah, the water 238 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 5: can rise very quickly, and they're doing that to protect 239 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 5: their eggs and eventually their newly hatched chicks up out 240 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 5: of the water. 241 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 3: I remember when I was working at Sandygo Zoo, the 242 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 3: swimingos right out front. A lot of people be always 243 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 3: you know, why do the keepers build all those mounds 244 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 3: and keepers? 245 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 2: They look so uniform and so nicely done. 246 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 3: I think, to Marco's point about the bald eagle nest, 247 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 3: it's a lot of sticks. It looks very nest like 248 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,679 Speaker 3: is climate cluttered together, But there is some thought process 249 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 3: there on their part, whereas these flamingo volcanoes look so 250 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 3: uniform and perfect. 251 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 2: So it's kind of fascinating to think that they build those, 252 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 2: they make those. 253 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 6: Yeah, it's not us if I was responsible for doing that. 254 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 6: They would not look. 255 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: Like the movie that goes I have my moment. 256 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 6: We will sometimes encourage them. 257 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 5: We'll see that they're getting ready to start, so we 258 00:10:55,080 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 5: will sometimes make very small little areas, but they yeah, 259 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 5: they'll take it upon themselves to finish it. 260 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:04,679 Speaker 4: When you said that, it instantly made me think of 261 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 4: a flamingo parade, the flamboyants of flamingos. Right, can you 262 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 4: talk a little bit about flagging or what kind of 263 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,720 Speaker 4: the precursors of what you see prior to Oh, they're 264 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 4: about to lay, but something happens right before all that? 265 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: Right that people get a big kick out of it. 266 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 6: They love it. I love it. 267 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 5: It never gets boring to watch those breeding behaviors. So 268 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 5: as they're kind of gearing up for a breeding season, 269 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 5: they will start marching. So it looks kind of like 270 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 5: a very choreographed dance. So they all get together in 271 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 5: a very large group. The flagging is their heads, so 272 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 5: they're swinging their heads back and forth very quickly, and 273 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 5: they're marching together, just in one large group, back and forth, 274 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 5: and that is usually our indicator that they're starting. So 275 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 5: the African species of flamingos are greater flamingos the lesser flamingos. 276 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 5: They're keten with the weather, so they nest during the summer, 277 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 5: so late spring, early summer, very very hot weather. So 278 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 5: we get a really nice hot sunny day, which we 279 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 5: definitely get at the Safari Park. We'll start to see 280 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 5: the flamingos get very excited and I'll start to do 281 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 5: that marching and flagging. 282 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 3: So when they do that marching and flagging, is there 283 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 3: also like vocalizations ago with that? 284 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:16,199 Speaker 5: Are they chattery very noisy, very very noisy. 285 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:17,679 Speaker 6: Yeah. Yeah, it's a whole production. 286 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 5: And you can definitely not be in the area and 287 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 5: you will hear it and. 288 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 6: You know that it's happening. You will run over. 289 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 4: To see it totally. I mean you'll even see like 290 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 4: the little youngsters doing it together. Even that's you need 291 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 4: to one. Like they're super colonial species. I mean there's 292 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 4: tons of them in a flock, thousands even at some point. 293 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 4: And it's really unique for me too that they can 294 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 4: identify their young and amongst this whole flamboy. 295 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:40,679 Speaker 1: Is going in front of them. 296 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 4: But also I forget the word there's a word for 297 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 4: I believe it's crashing, right, Can you. 298 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 1: Say what is that? What does that signify? That word? 299 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 5: So the whole process, the whole spectacle, from start to finish, 300 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 5: is so impressive and really one of my favorite things 301 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 5: about flamingos is what incredible parents they are. So from 302 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 5: start to finish, it's the males and females that are 303 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 5: involved in all of this. They're both building that nest, 304 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 5: they're both incubating and taking care of the egg. They're 305 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 5: both participating and feeding the chicks. And then yeah, once 306 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 5: the chicks have moved off the mounds, they tend to 307 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 5: all get together into a group, which is called a crush. 308 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 6: So all of the. 309 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 5: Little baby flamingos tend to all stick together. But what 310 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 5: is so incredible to see, and I have no idea 311 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 5: how they do it, but those little chicks will vocalize, 312 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:29,559 Speaker 5: they sound exactly the same to me, and you will 313 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 5: see the parents' heads pop up immediately and the parents 314 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 5: will come straight to that one individual little baby to 315 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 5: feed the babies. 316 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 6: So it's a really cool, cool thing. 317 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, flamingos are always like for me, like knocking 318 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:42,839 Speaker 4: down those gender norms one, you know, like the males 319 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 4: and the females are all doing together. We even have 320 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 4: evidence in the pastor at the Safari Park and in 321 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 4: the wild the same sex pairs as well. It could 322 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 4: be two males two females, but also again speaks to 323 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 4: that societal aspect of this kind of bird. Right, so 324 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:57,480 Speaker 4: sometimes ones without babies are fostering or taking care of others, right. 325 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,439 Speaker 1: How that happen here at the partners. 326 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 6: That happened here, we've had it happen with. 327 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 5: I think we've seen it in all of the species 328 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 5: of things that we've had here at the park. More recently, 329 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 5: it was our lesser flamingos, So we did have a 330 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 5: pair of males that were showing a lot of interest 331 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,559 Speaker 5: in a nest. They built a mound, a nestsound together. 332 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 5: They obviously did not lay an egg, but they were 333 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 5: showing a lot of interest. And we do occasionally see 334 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 5: a problem with our male pairings out there because they 335 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 5: aren't going to lay an egg, but the drive is 336 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 5: so strong for them to take care of an egg. 337 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 5: They will sometimes try to steal an egg from another 338 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 5: pair because they're communal nesters and they all nest really 339 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 5: close together for safety and that's how they feel comfortable. 340 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 5: But it also does cause some disagreement sometimes so in 341 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 5: order for us to try to keep the peace among everybody, 342 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 5: And they did give them a fake egg to sit 343 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 5: on just to see how they would do. They went 344 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 5: straight to it. They both were incubating it. They were 345 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 5: doing a fantastic job. And so we had the idea 346 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 5: because obviously we want to increase the numbers of chicks 347 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 5: that we can produce here whenever possible. So we were 348 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 5: actually able to take a fertile egg from another pair, 349 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 5: prolific pair, an established pair that can lay multiple furtle 350 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 5: eggs in a year. 351 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 6: So we took that egg from them. 352 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 5: Gave it to our pair of boys, and they took 353 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 5: that egg, They hatched the chick, they did everything. And 354 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 5: then that other pair that we took the egg from, 355 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 5: if an egg disappears or doesn't hatch naturally in the wild, 356 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 5: they will often lay a second egg. So that pair 357 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 5: did lay a second egg. They were able to produce 358 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 5: another fertile egg. So from that pair. 359 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 3: We actually got two checks, very similar to what we 360 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 3: have done in the past with California condors, treating a 361 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 3: double clutch situation where we take that first egg put 362 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 3: an incubator. 363 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 2: They then instinctively lay another egg. 364 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 3: Which normally it's one egg per year for them, very 365 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 3: very similar concept and bolstering up the population. 366 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 2: That's so awesome. 367 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, I love that story too. 368 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 3: You had mentioned in the crash right the babies, Okay, 369 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 3: one will stick its head up and call and the 370 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 3: parents know running over to feed it. Talk about the 371 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 3: feeding because it's something that can be startling for some 372 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 3: people when the crop milk, which isn't true milk, when 373 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 3: the parents are feeding a baby, sometimes it can be 374 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 3: concerning it first if you don't know what you're looking 375 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 3: at it. 376 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 6: We do get questions about that as well. Because the color, 377 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 6: the colors, the color is a little alarming. It is bright, 378 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 6: bright red. 379 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 5: And this is what also is so interesting and what 380 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 5: allows two males to raise a chick together is that 381 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 5: males and females because the parenting duties are fifty to fifty. 382 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 5: The males also produce that crop milk. So these two 383 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 5: boys that fostered this egg fed that chick without a problem. 384 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 5: But yes, the color of the crop milk and it 385 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 5: is just a secretion from their crop. 386 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 1: But it's very very in the upper part the es. 387 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 5: The flamingos will actually digest their food, so they secrete 388 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 5: this milk and they will kind of dribble it onto 389 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 5: the chicks, and it does look alarming. 390 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 1: Horror film maybe sometimes, and it maybe doesn't give the 391 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 1: exact look alarming if you don't know well. 392 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,880 Speaker 5: And then for anyone who's raised a human baby, they're 393 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 5: basically crying. So the babies are screaming for attention from 394 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,879 Speaker 5: their parents, So the vocalizations very very loud. 395 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:14,919 Speaker 6: They're vocalizing the whole time they're. 396 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 5: Being fed, so you have to just like dramatically yelling baby. 397 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 5: And we do get concerns sometimes that their beaks are 398 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 5: actually stuck together, but the parent has the beak directly 399 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:29,120 Speaker 5: at the tip of the baby, so the whole thing 400 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 5: is quite a spectacle that needs to sometimes be explained. 401 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 4: Doves and some penguin species do it also. I think 402 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 4: that's sai, not just the mammals. I want to point 403 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 4: out so that. 404 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 6: Yeah, the birds do it too. 405 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: That's great. 406 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 2: Well, before we. 407 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 3: Wrap up, you did mention that the parenting process and 408 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:47,400 Speaker 3: how it shared responsibili is one of your favorite facts 409 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 3: about them. Is there anything else we haven't asked about 410 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,440 Speaker 3: when it comes to these flamboyant. 411 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 2: Birds that you'd like to share with our audience. 412 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 3: Make sure that people know when they come to see 413 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 3: them at s Fary Parker Zoo, you want to know 414 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 3: that one fact. 415 00:17:57,640 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 2: I mean we covered a lot. 416 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 6: We did cover a lot this flock. 417 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:02,719 Speaker 5: Actually though, if you do come to visit them at 418 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 5: the fire park, can you ride the tram and they 419 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:06,639 Speaker 5: are one of the very first things that you see. 420 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,199 Speaker 5: So it's a great way to start your tour. But 421 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 5: you're actually looking at the largest flock of Greater flamingos 422 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 5: in the entire country. 423 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:14,880 Speaker 1: Oh, I didn't know that all of the. 424 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 6: US and all of the US this is the largest flock. 425 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 3: Cool. 426 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 4: Well, all the departments here and taking job you guys 427 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 4: helping out bird numbers. 428 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: I love it. This was a lot of fun. Thank 429 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: you Eron. That really great. 430 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 2: Appreciate having you on the show. 431 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 6: Thanks for having me. 432 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 4: See me smiling, sir. We just swim birds around us 433 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 4: all day. We lend them, I know, am I glowing pink? 434 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: Is that what's going on? 435 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 4: Right? 436 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: Yeah? 437 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 4: But this is a lot of fun, right, and I'm 438 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 4: excited that guests and come they can celebrate flamingos on 439 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:48,919 Speaker 4: International to Day exactly right front. Yeah, So we covered 440 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 4: like so far frozen zoo, meerkats, flamingos. 441 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: What's going on for our next adventure? 442 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 3: I think it goes right into what this podcast is about. 443 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 3: We're going to be talking to one of our head 444 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,159 Speaker 3: lead top educators at all San Diego Zoo about the 445 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:05,400 Speaker 3: importance of inspiring the next generation for conservation and wildlife care. 446 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:07,919 Speaker 1: Oh, we're gonna go to the zoo. Yeah, they will 447 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: get their little early and check out those giant pandas. 448 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 2: I think that's a good idea. 449 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: That sounds good. 450 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 3: We'll be sure to subscribe and tune in next time 451 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 3: when we learn more about the importance of inspiring the 452 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 3: next generation. 453 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:21,679 Speaker 1: Al Mark go Wentz and I'm Rick Schwartz. 454 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining us. 455 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 3: For more information about the San Diego Zoo and San 456 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 3: Diego Zoo Safari Park, go to sdzw a dot org. 457 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 3: Amazing Wildlife is a production of iHeartRadio. Our supervising producers 458 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:41,480 Speaker 3: are Nikkia Swinton and Dylan Fagan, and our sound designers 459 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:45,440 Speaker 3: are Sierra Spreen and Matt Russell. For more shows from iHeartRadio, 460 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 3: check out the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 461 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:54,360 Speaker 3: listen to your favorite shows.