Chilean flamingos are highly social and typically live in large flocks, sometimes numbering in the thousands. They live in the temperate regions of South America, including parts of Peru, southern Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. Their preferred habitats are shallow waters, such as estuaries, salt lakes, and lagoons, often surrounded by mud.

Before breeding, flamingos engage in synchronized displays of postures and movements to coordinate the timing of reproduction. They build their nests from mud, creating a mound around a single egg, which is incubated by both parents for about 30 days. Due to the salty conditions of their environment, Chilean flamingos spend much of their day preening and cleaning their feathers. They also sleep while standing on one leg.

The Chilean flamingo is currently listed as Near Threatened, with an estimated population of about 200,000 individuals in the wild. Major threats to the species include egg collection, hunting, and habitat disturbance, which contribute to the degradation of their wetland environments.

The flamingo has the longest neck of any bird relative to its body size, with 17 vertebrae in its neck. Flamingos are also known for standing on one leg, although the exact reason for this behaviour is unclear, and it may be more for comfort than a functional purpose. In addition, flamingos are vocal birds, known for honking, grunting, and growling to communicate or display aggression.

Fota Wildlife Park provides an ideal environment for its Chilean flamingo flock, utilising saltwater from Cork Harbour to mimic the bird's natural habitat. Flamingos housed in freshwater environments are more prone to conditions like lesions or Bumblefoot, but the saltwater habitat at Fota helps to prevent these issues. This natural source of water also allows our flamingos to forage for food, which complements their supplementary diet.