Video: Flamingoes feeding their babies with 'red milk' surprised many people

The sight of flamingos producing blood-like red kites for their youngsters, shared by Science Channel on Facebook on February 19, 2020 attracted more than 8.5 million views after just one week.

Many viewers were shocked when they first witnessed this scene because at first glance it seems that the mother flamingos had ripped open the head of another adult flamingo so that the offspring would drink the same blood. However the truth is not as scary and scary as what people see. In fact, this is a family, and the young red liquid drink is not blood but kite milk - a nutrient rich in protein and fat secreted from the mother's flamingo kite gland.

In the video, a flamingo father is helping the mother feed the young by using her head and beak to guide the kite milk into the baby's mouth. Young flamingoes will depend on kite milk for about 2 months after hatching.

Flamingos are large birds with long necks, sticky feet and pink or red feathers. The distinctive feather color of flamingos comes from the fact that they feed on pigments found in algae and invertebrates.

Video: Flamingoes feeding their babies with 'red milk' surprised many people Picture 1

Flamingos have the ability to stand on one leg, even when sleeping, they stand in that position. This helps them minimize the amount of heat the body consumes while standing underwater.

Most flamingos only produce one egg at a time. Each flamingo egg weighs between 115 grams and 140 grams. The female flamingo can also lay two eggs at a time, but it is very rare for both eggs to hatch.