Berita Hari Ini: Why flamingos can sleep on one leg


	April 19, 2026

Original photo by GarryKillian/ Shutterstock

Flamingos can sleep standing on one leg.

Flamingos are some of the most striking birds on the planet. Their bright pink plumage is easy to spot in wetland habitats around the world, they eat upside down, and they can fall asleep standing on one leg — a task that’s impossible for most vertebrates. So how and why do flamingos pull off this impressive feat? For years, scientists believed it was to conserve heat, but newer research has revealed another reason.

Now, You Can Take the Gym With You

Why limit your workouts to four walls? Worn on your wrists or ankles, Bala Bangles add constant, comfortable resistance so you can level up any activity — whether it’s a neighborhood walk, a home workout, or a Pilates class. These 1- or 2-pound steel weights are wrapped in baby-soft silicone and come in colors like charcoal, sea, and sand.

Try Bala

*This content is brought to you by our sponsor, which helps keep our content free.

		Numbers Don't Lie

Maximum wingspan (in feet) of the greater flamingo

Year the famous John Waters film “Pink Flamingos” was released

1972

Number of flamingo species, including the American flamingo

Approximate pounds of plastic transformed into flamingo lawn ornaments every year

270 million

For more than a century, flamingos were considered an invasive species in Florida.

In the U.S., the American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is found almost exclusively in southern Florida — but for more than a century, the Sunshine State considered the bird an invasive species. Because of widespread hunting, flamingos stopped nesting in Florida at the turn of the 20th century. In the decades following, it was often assumed that any wild flamingos one spotted had escaped from captive colonies. However, research in 2018 using satellite trackers, aerial surveys, and historical reports (including accounts from 19th-century feather traders) concluded that the American flamingo is most likely originally native to southern Florida. This simple distinction carries big implications for the bird’s protection in the state, as well as protection of its wetland habitat. Today the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission considers the American flamingo a native resident, but has declined to consider them “state threatened” in part due to their overall low population in Florida. That could change if these brilliant pink birds continue to return to their ancestral home.