Lesser flamingo as a central element of the East African Avifauna

Abstract

The East African Rift Valley lakes host an avifauna that is rich in biodiversity and individual numbers. Some of the water bodies are known as ‘flamingo lakes’. They are renowned places even for non-biologists and attract hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world. Two flamingo species inhabit these lakes, the Greater and the Lesser Flamingo. The latter is classified as ʼnear threatened’ by the IUCN. Flamingos, considered by birdlovers as a reincarnation of the mythic firebird Phoenix, play a key role in the circle of life in the harsh alkaline aquatic environments developed on the volcanic ashes of the African Rift Valley. We focus on the Lesser Flamingo, a flagship species of the East African avifauna, and provide information about the life cycle and phylogeny, feeding behaviour and inter-lake movements. Moreover, threats to the flamingo populations, including possible reasons for infrequent mass mortalities, are discussed.