Around Town: Rise and Shine With Cold Flamingos
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Woodley Park
YOU'D THINK that recent chilly weather would have sent most of the National Zoo's animals scurrying for cover. Not so.
While we were heading down the Olmsted Walk just after sunrise on Saturday, an unearthly avian squawking echoed out across the zoo. The noise did not seem to annoy one of the giant pandas, which was casually munching on vegetation. But it piqued our curiosity.
As we followed the noise up to the back side of the Bird House, the scene above slowly emerged: Flamingos, which are used to more tropical climates, were cavorting as a group in the below-freezing temperatures.
What was the gaggle's purpose? PBS' "Nature" addresses the question (kind of):
[A] crowd of dancing flamingos is one of the strangest, most breathtaking sights in the natural world. Is it a mating ritual? Are the birds burning up excess energy? Or do they do it simply for fun? No one is really sure.As we shot photos of the birds in action, they eventually quieted down. As soon as we moved away, though, they sprang back into their bubbly squawking.
You can watch the National Zoo's flamingos live on their very own Web cam. Sadly, there is no streaming audio.
» "Flamingo Cam" [National Zoo]
» "Flamingo Facts" [Nature/PBS]
Photos by Michael Grass/Express
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Addison Road
When I used to live at the corner of Connecticut and Cathedral, that damned squawking gave me nightmares.
Beautiful birds, but god they got an ugly song.
By AUA , Posted January 29, 2008 10:37 PM