What is the diet of the lesser flamingo?

• A. Algae and small crustaceans found in shallow waters
• B. Seeds from dry plains
• C. Small insects from trees
• D. Fish and amphibians

Answer: (A)

Lesser flamingos are filter-feeders that collect food from shallow, often salty lakes. Their beaks are specially adapted with comb-like lamellae that trap tiny organisms as they pump water and mud through. The main components of their diet are microalgae and small crustaceans that live in that water. This diet explains their pink coloration, since carotenoids from the algae and crustaceans color their feathers. Other options don’t fit their feeding habits or habitat: seeds from dry plains would come from ground foraging, insects from trees imply arboreal feeding, and fish or amphibians involve catching larger prey in different environments.