can a flamingo hurt a person? (1 Viewer)

[scuba0095]

at the sacramento zoo the tallest stand more than 5 foot five inches and these are not the tallest in the world they are a sub species of greater but still not the tallest sub species

the flamingo care takeis five five and says the taller ones are taller than her they look intimidating i wonder if they could hurt a person?

I know herons and cranes can cause serious damage both with feet wings but the beak is most deadly of all

but i really wanna know if flamingos can? ANyway to find out? without going near one?

IN tropical areas they let u get close to them sometimes when u are walking they dont show much fear i would never touch a bird unless it is a species i know well like a muscovy duck or mallard, pigeons etc.. Things i grew up with and hand feed.

 

[phil baber]

Avoid putting your fingers near the bill. I've seen birds in captive collections exact punitive damage on each other with that "upside-down pair of shears." Other than that I think you're quite safe if you stand well back!:eek!: :-O

 

[MJB]

At the Sacramento zoo the tallest stand more than 5 foot five inches and these are not the tallest in the world. They are a subspecies of Greater but are still not the tallest subspecies. The flamingo caretaker is five five and says the taller ones are taller than her they look intimidating. I wonder if they could hurt a person? I know herons and cranes can cause serious damage both with feet wings but the beak is most deadly of all, but I really want to know if flamingos can, but without going near one?

Flamingos are quite fragile birds, and it appears true for some species that their long-term survival is due to their ability to tolerate extremely caustic conditions when feeding and breeding, such as exist on soda lakes. In Africa, they are relatively secure from predators, except perhaps from the African Fish Eagle, which will attack even there. Flamingos tend to flee threats, and don't seem to possess the musculature to strike back against an enemy - their 'pecking order' seems to be established solely through an intense, almost regimented display. That's not to say that a flamingo bill wouldn't hurt if jabbed in your face!

It was perhaps an inspiration of Disney to depict them being used as croquet mallets in the superb full-length 1951 animation Alice in Wonderland!
MJB

 

[James Lowther]

anyone who thinks flamingos aren't dangerous better check this clip out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz-84L2IDtE&feature=related

courtesy of hollywood's finest decade, the 80s