News Near Roseville: Baby Flamingo Born at Como Zoo

Como Zoo in St. Paul on Thursday afternoon welcomed a baby flamingo to its flock.

"The small white chick is on public display huddled near its pink parents," zoo officials said in a statement today (Friday). "This is the first flamingo born at the zoo since 2008, and only the second to be born in the zoo’s history." 

Como zoo keepers attributed this rare success to the wetter than normal spring. "This hatchling is one of five eggs laid in June and July.  

"The eggs were put in an incubator and a false egg was put in its place for the parents to sit on," zoo officials said. "Once it appeared this egg was in hatch stage, which generally takes two to three days, zoo keepers put it back into the nest. The other four eggs laid this season were not fertile."

According to Como Zoo, "Flamingos are most known for their remarkable color—from pale pink to salmon and red—but they are not born with this colored plumage, nor can they maintain it without a proper diet. Flamingo chicks are born white and turn grey after a few weeks.  After about a year or so  they begin to develop their attractive rosy coloring."