Young flamingos hatch with grey plumage, but adults range from light pink to bright red due to aqueous bacteria
and beta carotene obtained from their food supply. They are not naturally pink. A well-fed, healthy flamingo is
more vibrantly coloured and thus a more desirable mate; a white or pale flamingo, however, is usually or malnourished.
Captive flamingos are a notable exception; many turn a pale pink as they are not fed carotene at levels comparable
to the wild. This is changing as more zoos begin to add prawns and other supplements to the diets of their flamingos.
~wiki~
