Building the Prototype

Flamingos are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae.

Etymology: Portuguese/Spanish, "flame-colored"
Chilean flamingo: S. South America
Andean flamingo: Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina
American flamingo: Caribbean Mexico, Belize, Venezuela

Flamingos usually stand on one leg while the other is tucked beneath their body. The reason for this behaviour is not fully understood. One theory is that standing on one leg allows the birds to conserve more body heat, given that they spend a significant amount of time wading in cold water.