Why are flamingos pink?

Wait.

I will explain.

A baby flamingo is not pink.

It is actually born with grey feathers.

So, does it spray paint itself with pink color?

No.

Flamingos get their pink or orange color from their food which is mainly algae and shrimps.

These organisms contain carotenoids.

Carotenoids are reddish orange colored pigments.

When a flamingo eats algae and shrimps, its liver extracts the colored pigments.

The pigments are then absorbed by fats.

These fats start depositing in the flamingo's growing feathers.

Which eventually cause the flamingo to turn pink or orange.

Now, an interesting fact is that we also eat fruits that contain carotenoids.

Such as carrots, apricots, mangoes, etc.

But we do not eat enough of these fruits for them to affect our skin color.

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