Wings Spread Wide

Taken at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo - Cleveland, OH

I have a closet love for flamingos. There is something cool about them--maybe it's the beautiful coloring in their feathers and how they puff up into interesting layers. Maybe it's because their legs are so gawky, I don't know. I just know I like flamingos and I was glad that the weather, while rainy and chill, was not too cold for these lesser flamingos to be out and about. While I stood and watched they walked and flapped and preened, their legs going through that awkward walk that just begged them to take flight, even if their wings were pinioned. But that didn't stop them from flapping anyway and it didn't stop me from snapping away.

I really loved the sparkle of lights in the background from the Christmas lights in their exhibit, it adds a bit of magic to a photo that I am really in love with and feel sad that it won't get as much attention because it's not a big cuddly tiger. Flamingos need love too!!

Lesser flamingos are considered near-threatened even though there is still a large number of them in the world. They have been given this status because their populations are on the decline due to the low number of breeding sites. As with most species, the cause of their decline is attributed to humans and their encroachment on their natural habitat and if we want to continue seeing these beautiful birds in our zoos and in the world, we should do what we can to save their homes.