Did you know that flamingos owe their iconic pink hue to their diet? These birds feast on algae and crustaceans that are rich in natural pigments called carotenoids. Once ingested, these carotenoids are transformed into a pink dye within the flamingo's body, which then colors their feathers. The intensity of their pink color is directly related to the quantity of these pigments in their diet. Interestingly, young flamingos are born with grey feathers and only develop their pink coloration after a few years, as they consume more of these pigment-rich foods.