Flamingos (/flmoz/) are a kind of wading bird of the Phoenicopteridae family, the sole bird family in Phoenicopteriformes. Two flamingo species are endemic to Africa, Asia, and Europe, while four species are found across the Americas, including the Caribbean.

The word “Flamingo” originates from the Portuguese or Spanish flamengo, which means “flame-colored,” and is derived from Provençal flamenc, which comes from flama “flame” and the Germanic-like suffix -ing, with the Spanish ethnonym flamenco meaning “Fleming” or “Flemish.” Phoenicopterus (from Greek: o phoinikopteros) literally means “blood red-feathered,” and additional genera include Phoeniconaias, which means “crimson/red water nymph (or naiad),” and Phoenicoparrus, which means “crimson/red bird (albeit, an unknown bird of omen).”

The long-legged Ciconiiformes, a paraphyletic collection, was formerly thought to be the closest relatives of flamingos, and the family was placed in the order. The Threskiornithidae’s ibises and spoonbills were formerly thought to be their closest cousins within this order. This connection has also been corroborated by previous genetic investigations, such as those of Charles Sibley and colleagues. Relationships with waterfowl were also explored, especially because flamingos are parasitized by Anaticola feather lice, which are normally only seen on ducks and geese. The unusual presbyornithids were used to support the theory that flamingos, ducks, and waders had a tight connection. Flamingos and grebes were previously thought to be waterfowl, but a 2014 comprehensive analysis of bird orders determined that they, along with doves, sandgrouse, and mesites, are members of the Columbea order.

Recent molecular research has revealed a connection with grebes, and morphological data strongly supports a flamingo-grebe relationship. The fossil palaelodids are a transitional species between flamingos and grebes in terms of evolution and ecology. They share at least 11 morphological characteristics that aren’t seen in other birds. Many of these traits had previously been discovered in flamingos but not in grebes.

The taxon Mirandornithes (“miracle birds” because of its high divergence and apomorphies) has been suggested for the grebe-flamingo clade. They might also be arranged in a single order, with Phoenocopteriformes having precedence.

Flamingos generally stand on one leg and tuck the other under the torso. The explanation behind this behavior remains a mystery. However, the behavior may also be observed in warm water and in birds that do not normally stand in water. Given that they spend a lot of time wading in chilly water, one idea is that standing on one leg enables the birds to preserve more body heat. Another hypothesis is that standing on one leg saves energy by reducing the amount of muscular work required to stand and balance on one leg. Research on cadavers found that the one-legged stance could be maintained without any muscular activity, but living flamingos wobble significantly less in a one-legged posture. Flamingos may stamp their webbed feet in the dirt to stir up food from the bottom, in addition to standing in the water.

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