Size The greater flamingo is the tallest flamingo, standing 20 to 150 cm (47-59 in.) and weighing up to kg lbs.). Males reach full size between one-and-a-half and two years. Male flamingos are slightly larger than females

Human Interaction

Habitat destruction by humans has had a negative effect on the breeding and feeding grounds of flamingos.

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  Construction of roads and highways make the flamingo's environment more accessible to people and land predators.
  
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  Coastal desert irrigation has altered water levels in many flamingo habitats.
  
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  Mining of boron, lithium, nitrates, potassium, and molybdenum has caused habitat disturbances for the flamingos.
  
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  Low-flying aircraft bringing tourists, bird enthusiasts, and photographers into flamingo nesting and feeding grounds cause disturbances and affect the birds' lifestyle.
  

People have used flamingos and their eggs as food.

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  Historically, people have used flamingo eggs as a primary food source and delicacy. Today, in some places, flamingo eggs are removed from nests and sold at markets.
  
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  In early Roman times, flamingo tongues were carefully prepared, pickled, and served as a delicacy.
  
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  Andean miners have killed flamingos for their fat, believed to be a cure for tuberculosis.
  

Greater and lesser flamingo chicks in the Magadi colony in Africa were banded in the 1960's with the hope of finding out more about these birds' lifestyles and migration patterns. Unfortunately, only a few of the banded birds have been recovered. It is believed that the bands may have dissolved because of the high alkaline content in the water where these birds live.

Human activity on Great Inagua Island in the Bahamas has helped flamingo populations. Salt production has added many acres of suitable habitat, stabilized water levels, and provided additional food sources.