American flamingo

American flamingo
On Isabela Island in the Galápagos
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Phoenicopteriformes
Family: Phoenicopteridae
Genus: Phoenicopterus
Species:
P. ruber
Binomial name
Phoenicopterus ruber
Distribution of the American flamingo
Synonyms
  • Phoenicopterus ruber ruber

The American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is a large species of flamingo native to the West Indies, northern South America (including the Galápagos Islands) and the Yucatán Peninsula. It is closely related to the greater flamingo and Chilean flamingo, and was formerly considered conspecific with the greater flamingo, but that treatment is now widely viewed (e.g. by the American and British Ornithologists' Unions) as incorrect due to a lack of evidence. It is also known as the Caribbean flamingo, although it is also present in the Galápagos Islands. It is the only flamingo that naturally inhabits North America along with the Neotropical realm.

It is a cultural icon for the U.S. state of Florida, where it was formerly abundant in the southernmost regions, although it was largely extirpated by 1900 and is now only an uncommon visitor with a few small, potential resident populations.

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2021). "Phoenicopterus ruber". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T22729706A138951737. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22729706A138951737.en. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.