Gertrude, the oldest member of a flock of flamingos residing at Pensthorpe nature reserve in England, has astonished everyone by laying her first egg at the age of 70. This remarkable achievement is all the more impressive given that most wild flamingos only live to be around 30-40 years old.
Throughout her life, Gertrude had struggled to find a mate and often kept to herself. However, this year she discovered newfound confidence and began to show interest in interacting with other flamingos. After some time, she settled down with Gil, a younger flamingo who was three decades her junior.
Despite her advanced age, Gertrude and Gil were able to successfully hatch an egg after their courtship period. While the egg is unlikely to result in a young flamingo, it’s still considered an incredible accomplishment for Gertrude to lay one at such an advanced age. Additionally, Gertrude is exhibiting maternal instincts and will likely continue to be a happy auntie to the younger flamingos in the group.
Flamingos belong to the Phoenicopteridae family of wading birds that consist of six species easily recognizable by their pink feathers, curved downward beaks, long legs and necks, large wings and short tails. Flamingos feed by wading in shallow waters and stirring up organic matter with their webbed feet before consuming foods like algae, mollusks and crustaceans.
