Author(s)

Camillo Sandri¹, Barbara Regaiolli^2*, Matilde Franchin³, Alessandra Piccirillo³, Caterina Spiezio²

¹Veterinary Department, Parco Natura Viva—Garda Zoological Park, Bussolengo, Italy.
²Research & Conservation Department, Parco Natura Viva—Garda Zoological Park, Bussolengo, Italy.
³Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padua, Padua, Italy.

Fertility of captive flamingos varies between flocks, species and seasons. Individuating infertile eggs could be helpful to facilitate important decisions. Wild animals could be encouraged to abandon the nest or not, whereas in captivity removing non-viable egg would lead birds to lay a new one. The aim of this study was to investigate the parental behaviour of a pair of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) in the presence of a fertile and an infertile egg. Data on the posture and behaviours of the pair on the nest were collected over two different periods: first period—an infertile egg was laid; second period—a fertile egg was laid. For each period, 28 ten-minute sessions per flamingo partner were run. Results revealed that female flamingo spent significantly more time standing on the nest in the first than in the second period (P = 0.010). Moreover, when standing on the nest, the female performed significantly more egg-care behaviour (attention to the egg, egg rotation/moving) in the first than in the second period (P = 0.010). No significant differences between periods emerged in the male flamingo posture on the nest and behaviours. Findings from this study suggest that female flamingos stand on the nest longer if the egg is infertile, paying more attention and examining it deeply. This study provides new insights into greater flamingo parent-embryo communication. Future research is needed to improve our knowledge on this topic, as well as on the husbandry of this species in the controlled environment.

Phoenicopterus roseus, Egg Fertility, Egg Care, Parental Behaviour

Sandri, C. , Regaiolli, B. , Franchin, M. , Piccirillo, A. and Spiezio, C. (2017) Can Greater Flamingo Recognize Fertile vs. Infertile Egg? A Single Case Study. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 7, 232-239. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2017.72018.