Jump to content
Ornithology Exchange (brought to you by the Ornithological Council)

Flamingo


Melanie Colón
  • Caitlin R. Kight Reaktion Books 2015 United States http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/F/bo20170001.html

    About the Author

    Caitlin R. Kight is the marketing and communications manager for the University of Exeter's Cornwall Campuses. She is also an editor and writer for Current Conservation and host of the science and nature radio program Wild Side. She lives in Falmouth, UK.

     

    224 pages | 70 color plates, 30 halftones | 5 1/4 x 7 1/2

    English , Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae), Animal No value 07/15/2015 1780234252 9781780234250 No value

With their distinctive pink coloring and one-legged stance, flamingos are easily the most recognizable bird in the world. Most of us don't know, however, that there are actually six different species of flamingo, each differing in size and hue––and, despite excellent fossil records, scientists have had a difficult time positioning the flamingo within the avian genetic tree. In Flamingo, Caitlin R. Kight untangles the scientific knowledge about this unusual ornithological wonder and looks at how it has figured in popular culture.

 

Kight presents the flamingo in a concise and accessible way, introducing its detailed scientific history alongside what we know about its often hostile habitats and complex social behavior. She explores its genetic lineage and the confusions it has caused, and she details the significance it has had for many cultures, whether as a spiritual totem or a commercial symbol of the tropical life. She even explains how it gets its extraordinary color (hint: it has to do with its diet). A wonderful resource for any bird lover, Flamingo provides valuable insight into just what makes this flashy-feathered character so special.




User Feedback

Recommended Comments

There are no comments to display.



Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...