Phoenicopteridae·Ordre des Phoenicopteriformes·Préoccupation mineure (LC) — Protégé en France·📅 Updated:
The Greater Flamingo, majestic icon of Hyères salt marshes
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Agrandir
The quintessential icon of Mediterranean wetlands, bringing vibrant coral and carmine pink to the Hyères salt lagoons.
My field observations in the Var — sites, months and context
✓ Aug 2026 Synthesis (2 records)Flocks of several hundred birds feeding in the Pesquiers lagoon, filtering brine water at sunrise.
August 2026 Field Mapping Record:
📍Hyères (Surrounding marshes & Gapeau river)(1 rec)📍Pesquiers Salt Marshes(1 rec)
Statut dans le Var : Présent toute l'année, effectifs majeurs en automne-hiver·Période privilégiée : Mai à Septembre
Commented in situ photo gallery
3 telephoto photographs taken in the Var department (Rule 11)
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Photo 1 / 3 — Salins des Pesquiers, Hyères, VarDans l'eau peu profonde, une patte levée et ailes déployées (noir et blanc)
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Photo 2 / 3 — Salins d'Hyères (Pesquiers / Vieux Salins), VarVol calme de profil, ailes déployées au-dessus du relief varois
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Photo 3 / 3 — Double tombolo de Giens, Hyères, VarVol battu majestueux, pattes tendues et rémiges noires contrastées
Recognizing the species on my photos — visible details
Stately 125-145 cm height on long legs. Rosy-white body, deep black wing edges, and a distinctive curved pink and black bill.
Habitat
Shallow salt lagoons, coastal evaporation pans and brackish estuaries.
Diet
Brine shrimp (Artemia salina), aquatic insect larvae, and carotenoid-rich microscopic algae.
Photographing the species: field experience
Shooting into early morning backlight produces striking sculptural high-contrast black and white frames.
Remarkable facts & hide notes:
- •Its vivid pink colour stems entirely from dietary carotenoids found in brine shrimp.
- •Its bill filters water upside down, using specialized lamellae and tongue pumping.
- •Can sleep locked standing on one leg through an energy-efficient tendon system.
