Flamingo Chick Takes First Step at Bronx Zoo

The video is ridiculously cute

An adorable flamingo chick recently took its first steps at the Bronx Zoo, an unbelievably cute moment that was fortunately caught on video.

The Caribbean flamingo hatchling is helped to its feet by its mother and stands on a nest mound in the pond outside of the zoo’s Aquatic Birds exhibit. Then it ruffles its baby feathers, takes a step on its gangly legs and promptly falls down.

It's really cute.

The little chick has white downy plumage now, but it will develop the trademark pink coloration from pigments in the algae, crustaceans and other invertebrates that make up its diet. 

Flamingos are well-adapted for their environment, too. Their long legs allow them to easily wade across shallow water and their beaks are specially adapted to filter feed, separating food items from the mud and silt.

Flamingos build nest mounds in the shallow water to keep their eggs and offspring out of the water until they are ready to fledge.

Visit the hatchling and its mother in the Bronx Zoo's Aquatic Birds exhibit, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and until 5:30 p.m. on weekends.

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