Flamingo Fest at National Aviary brings a touch of the tropics this weekend

Skinny legs, long necks and a pink color are distinct characteristics of this bird.

Flamingos are easy to spot in the wetlands at the National Aviary on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

The 10 flamingos — four males and six females — live among 150 birds and 40 species.

Guests can learn more about these colorful birds Saturday and Sunday at the annual Flamingo Fest. It is included with admission.

Guests can make paper flamingo finger puppets and measure themselves standing next to a flamingo height chart.

There will be story time from 11:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. An Aviary educator will read “The Flamingo Who Wanted to be Pink.”

At 1 p.m. an Aviary expert will feed the flamingos.

Join the National Aviary for Flamingo Fest NEXT Saturday February 27 and Sunday February 28 between 10 am & 5 pm for flamingo-themed activities; included with admission! Take in the sights of the Wetlands during Flamingo Island Adventure. Reserve tickets: https://t.co/7XXyns4rmA pic.twitter.com/CqZTCc6vXF

— National Aviary (@National_Aviary) February 20, 2021

The Aviary also offers Flamingo Mingo, an opportunity for guests to sit on a bench on the beach in the wetlands and have an up-close and personal encounter with the flamingos.

“Flamingo Fest is one of the more popular events at the Aviary,” said Jessica McAtee, curator of animal husbandry and wellness for the Aviary. “It’s a great tropical retreat, especially in winter.”

Temperatures inside the habitat are between the mid-70s to 80 degrees year round. It is the largest habitat at the Aviary.

Flamingos co-exist well with other species, according to McAtee.

There are six species of flamingos. These are American Flamingos usually found in the Caribbean, the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and the very northern part of South America.

They prefer shallow, salty lagoons and lakes, McAtee said. When they breed, they build nests and lay one egg that incubates for 30 days.

Their pink color comes from carotenoid pigments in the food they eat, she said. Their diet is small invertebrates and algae.

On Monday, they dined on a pelleted diet and meal worms fed by Rachel Drapcho, an aviculturist.

Flamingos can flick their tongues about 20 times per second to pump water in and out of their beak.

They can touch their webbed feet. Their necks are long so they can filter water down near their feet. Their long legs allow them to wade out into deep water to feed.

Flamingos can grow to 57 inches tall and usually weigh between 4-8 pounds. A flamingo’s life span can reach into its 40s.

In the National Aviary’s wetlands section, a sprinkler system makes it “rain” daily.

“This provides a great opportunity for many of the birds to bathe,” McAtee said. “Some bathe in the pond, some in the rain, and some utilize the wet leaves for bathing.”

They stand on one leg to rest and help with thermoregulation. If they need to warm up, one leg will come up out of the water because it’s less surface area to lose heat from. Sometimes they tuck one leg up into their feathers, which are great insulators for birds — kind of like we would use a blanket, McAtee said.

Flamingos are social birds that live in flocks.

“They love human interaction,” McAtee said. “They will greet people, sometimes bumping them with their neck.”

Flamingo Fest is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Timed ticketing is required. Masks must be worn.

Tickets are $17.95 for adults, $16.95 for seniors, $14.95 for children, age 2 and under are free.