Crackin’ scenes.
There is joyous celebration at Dublin Zoo following the arrival of nine new Chilean flamingo chicks.
Having hatched after a 30-day incubation period, the chicks now join the 86-strong flock at the zoo.
A number of eggs remain in the nest, with keepers eagerly awaiting further hatchings in the coming weeks.
Famed for its striking pink plumage with crimson feathers along the edge of the wings, the Chilean flamingo stands over a metre tall and boasts a wingspan of up to 100 centimetres.
At birth, the chicks have a grey, white plumage which they gradually lose over a two or three-year period when their pink feathers begin to show.
Their colour comes from carotenoid pigments which they consume as part of their diet.
“We are delighted with the arrival of the chicks,” says Dublin Zoo keeper Lee Byrne.
“They were all hatched within two weeks of each other, so it has been an exciting time at Flamingo Lagoon.
“About four days after hatching, they left their nest and ventured towards the water.”
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