![]() ![]() More usually the simple term of ‘flock’ which is applicable to the majority of bird species is used to categorise flamingos in flight. ‘A skein of flamingos’, whilst not a common collective noun, is occasionally used, particularly with birds in flight. This spectacle was possibly what gave rise to a further group name of ‘a flurry of flamingos’. One can just imagine the chaos and excitement when large numbers of these birds take to the air by running across the surface of a lake and flapping their wings to lift off. The Lesser Flamingo, a native of Africa, is such a sociable bird that groups of up to a million individuals have been recorded nesting together and is the largest recorded flock of birds known to man. The flamingos therefore move in to the region and colonise the area for themselves thus, by definition, forming a colony.Ī ‘stand of flamingos’ almost certainly originated from observing their habit of standing motionless and resting for long periods, often on one leg, an extraordinary sight when viewed in large groups.Īnother easy to explain collective noun is a ‘regiment of flamingos’ which comes from their propensity to gather together and march in time in a manner similar to a group of well drilled soldiers. The collective noun ‘colony of flamingos’ is often used to describe a group of flamingos as the chosen habitats of these birds are frequently rejected by other species and animals as being hostile environments due to extremely high concentrations of salt. Interestingly the word flamingo comes from the Latin word ‘flamma’ which also means flame or fire. Originating from the adjective flamboyant, an old French word originally meaning flame, it is frequently used in English to mean, stylish, colourful, bright, dazzling and flashy words that epitomise our view of the magnificent flamingo. Probably the most common and descriptive collective nouns for a group of flamingos are a ‘flamboyance’, ‘colony’ or ‘stand’, with flamboyance tending to be the most popular. There are a number of self explanatory collective nouns frequently used to identify groups of flamingos. There are in fact six species of flamingo, all of which are extremely gregarious and social birds, often gathering closely together in vast numbers.
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