Special arrival: Tracy Aviary's baby flamingo

The Tracy Aviary in Liberty Park has hatched its first ever baby flamingo.

The tiny bird is the latest addition to the flock of 21 Chilean Flamingos, which came to the zoo as part of a new exhibit in 2005.

Flamingos usually produce in captivity only in flocks of 40 or more, said Lindsey Brack, a keeper at the Liberty Park bird haven.

The successful hatching in the smaller flock in just three years is a testament to the care Tracy Aviary birds receive, said director Tim Brown.

The bird is long-legged like its monogamous parents, but is fuzzy and gray. It could take up to three years to take on the pinkish hue common to the rest of its flock. The color comes from the birds' diet of shrimp, said aviary spokesman Carl Baumeister. Chilean Flamingos never turn fluorescent pink, he said.

Other baby chicks at the aviary include a Scarlet Ibis, a Green Aracaro and three Australian Kookaburras.

For more information, call the aviary at 322-2473 or visit tracyaviary.org.