[EBB Sightings] More on the Greater (?) Flamingo at Coyote Hills

Good Afternoon 

I think I have found an avenue to escape with honor:
Per the University of Michigan "Animal Diversity"
website
(http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/Phoenicopterus.html#Phoenicopterus)
the family Phoenicopteridae (flamingos) contains the
genus Phoenicopterus (greater flamingos). So, I now
claim that the Flamingo I reported was in the genus
Greater Flamingos. Phew!

Concerning a species-level identification: The site I
mention above states that the leg coloration of all
the flamingo species is the same. It also contains a
photo of a Greater Flamingo that shows pink knee
bands, which seems to validate this statement and
makes me wonder at the utility of this as a field
mark. Further, the presence or absence of a hallux is
not valuable in distinguishing between Greater and
Chilean (though we didn't see the feet anyway). 

Have a nice day.
Cheers
Peter



		
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