Editing James's flamingo (section)

=== Feathers ===
[[File:JamesFlamingo.jpg|thumb|right|Comparison of bills of Andean flamingo (top) and James's flamingo (bottom)]]

Newly hatched flamingos are gray or white. Their feathers acquire a pink color by the time they are around 2 or 3 years old, due to their carotene-rich [[diet (nutrition)|diet]]. The chemicals that color their [[feathers]] are the terpenoids: [[carotene|alpha- and beta-carotene]]s (similar to carotene in carrots).<ref>Jenkin, P.M. "The Filter-Feeding and Food of Flamingoes (Phoenicopter)". ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London''. 240(674), 401-493.</ref> An adult has 12 major feathers designed for flight on each [[wing]]. The body is covered in [[Pennaceous feather|contour feathers]], which protect the bird and also help with waterproofing (due to a secretion of oil at the base of the feathers). When the birds are roosting, they face into the wind so that the rain will not blow upwards and soak the underside of their feathers.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} 

Their plumage is pale pink, with bright carmine streaks around their necks and on their backs. When they are perching, a small amount of black can be seen in the wings; these are the [[flight feather]]s mentioned above. There are typically 12 to 16 tail feathers. James's flamingos [[moulting|molt]] their wing- and body feathers according to their [[breeding in the wild|breeding]] schedule and the color of the new feathers depends on the nature  of their diet. There is no [[sexual dimorphism|difference in color]] between males and females.