Silhouette: Lee Harding (photo), John E. McCormack, Michael G. Harvey, Brant C. Faircloth, Nicholas G. Crawford, Travis C. Glenn, Robb T. Brumfield & T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic

Chilean Flamingo

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Chilean Flamingo in Lauca National Park?

Likely. About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Chilean Flamingo sighting in Lauca National Park on a given day, based on 636 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 17th most-seen of the 112 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Chilean Flamingo in Lauca National Park?

January–March and July. In those months about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Chilean Flamingo in Lauca National Park on a given day, against about 40% in May–June and August–September, the lowest months. Those are among Lauca National Park's wettest months, with about 100 mm of rain a month against almost none in May.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Chilean Flamingo?

Between 10 am and 1 pm. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Chilean Flamingo sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Lauca National Park the best place to see a Chilean Flamingo?

Yes. Of the 5 parks where we can rate Chilean Flamingo sightings, Lauca National Park has the highest daily chance: about 50%. Next come Torres del Paine National Park (Chile, about 20%) and Península Valdés (Argentina, about 10%).

Q: Which relatives of the Chilean Flamingo live in Lauca National Park?

Same family: Phoenicopteridae. The closest relatives of the Chilean Flamingo that you can see in Lauca National Park (family Phoenicopteridae, Flamingos) are Andean Flamingo (about 30%) and James's Flamingo (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Q: Where does the Chilean Flamingo sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Chilean Flamingo is recorded against all the birds logged in Lauca National Park (636 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Phoenicopterus chilensis

Silhouette: Lee Harding (photo), John E. McCormack, Michael G. Harvey, Brant C. Faircloth, Nicholas G. Crawford, Travis C. Glenn, Robb T. Brumfield & T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic

LCNTNear ThreatenedVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPhoenicopteriformes (Flamingos)
FamilyPhoenicopteridae (Flamingos)
GenusPhoenicopterus (Large Flamingos)
SpeciesPhoenicopterus chilensis (Chilean Flamingo)

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

at Lauca National Park

In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%

636 Verified sightings at Lauca National Park From 2019 to 2026

1,179 In all 5 parks

February Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

Challenge Andes Icons South AmericaMedium

About the Chilean Flamingo

The Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) is a species of large flamingo at a height of 110–130 cm (43–51 in) closely related to the American flamingo and the greater flamingo, with which it was previously considered a subspecies before being classified as its own species as a result of their lighter color, smaller size and behavioral differences. The species is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

The species breeds in South America from Ecuador and Peru to Chile and Argentina and east to Brazil. Like all flamingos, it lays a single chalky-white egg on a mud mound. These flamingos are mainly restricted to salt lagoons and soda lakes that are vulnerable to habitat loss and water pollution, especially from mining and irrigation which can cause rapid habitat degradation.

The Chilean flamingo's plumage is pinker than the slightly larger greater flamingo, but less so than the American flamingo. It can be differentiated from these species by its grayish legs with pink joints, by the larger amount of black on the bill (more than half), and also by being a foot shorter than the American flamingo. Young chicks may have no sign of pink coloring whatsoever... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:14

Argentina · 2013

Song0:09

Argentina · 1994

Alarm call0:24

Argentina · 2005

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 208 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Lauca National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	~50%
2	Torres del Paine National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	~20%
3	Península Valdés	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
4	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
5	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Cochabamba	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~20%
2	León	🇲🇽 México	~10%
3	Lima	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
4	Montevideo	🇺🇾 Uruguay	<5%
5	São Paulo	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
6	Rio de Janeiro	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
7	Buenos Aires	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	SeaWorld Orlando	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	San Diego Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
3	Prague Zoo	🇨🇿 Czechia	In captivity
4	Leipzig Zoological Garden	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
5	Denver Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
6	Tierpark Berlin	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
7	Natura Artis Magistra	🇳🇱 Netherlands	In captivity
8	Dublin Zoo	🇮🇪 Ireland	In captivity
9	Cleveland Metroparks Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
10	Zürich Zoo	🇨🇭 Switzerland	In captivity
11	Planckendael Zoo	🇧🇪 Belgium	In captivity
12	Antwerp Zoo	🇧🇪 Belgium	In captivity
13	Parque das Aves	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
14	Barcelona Zoo	🇪🇸 Spain	In captivity
15	Bellewaerde	🇧🇪 Belgium	In captivity
16	North Carolina Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
17	Fota Wildlife Park	🇮🇪 Ireland	In captivity
18	Réserve africaine de Sigean	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
19	Parc des oiseaux	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
20	Zoo de Doué	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
21	Espace zoologique de La Boissière-du-Doré	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
22	Harewood House	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
23	Bioparque Estrella	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
24	San Diego Zoo Safari Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
25	Al Ain Zoo	🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates	In captivity
26	Taipei Zoo	🇹🇼 Taiwan	In captivity
27	Parque Zoológico	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
28	Columbus Zoo and Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
29	Bronx Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
30	Wildlife Safari	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
31	SeaWorld San Antonio	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
32	Planète Sauvage	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
33	Givskud Zoo	🇩🇰 Denmark	In captivity
34	Curitiba Zoo	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
35	Beijing Zoo	🇨🇳 China	In captivity
36	Saitama Children's Zoo	🇯🇵 Japan	In captivity
37	Reserva de Flora y Fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice	🇺🇾 Uruguay	In captivity
38	Banham Zoo	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
39	Cotswold Wildlife Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
40	Los Angeles Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
41	Nuremberg Zoo	🇩🇪 Germany	In captivity
42	Slimbridge Wetland Centre	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
43	Mundo Marino	🇦🇷 Argentina	In captivity
44	Phoenix Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
45	Detroit Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
46	Greater Vancouver Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
47	São Paulo Zoo	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
48	Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	In captivity
49	Parco Natura Viva	🇮🇹 Italy	In captivity
50	Louisville Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity

Show all 50 Show fewer

Closest Relatives at Lauca National Park

Phoenicoparrus andinus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Phoenicoparrus jamesi

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Cinclodes fuscus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Phrygilus atriceps

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Chloephaga melanoptera

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Lophonetta specularioides

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Anas flavirostris

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Muscisaxicola albifrons

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Fulica gigantea

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Geospizopsis plebejus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Muscisaxicola juninensis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Zonotrichia capensis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Chilean Flamingo in Lauca National Park?

Likely

About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Chilean Flamingo sighting in Lauca National Park on a given day, based on 636 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 17th most-seen of the 112 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Chilean Flamingo in Lauca National Park?

January–March and July

In those months about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Chilean Flamingo in Lauca National Park on a given day, against about 40% in May–June and August–September, the lowest months. Those are among Lauca National Park's wettest months, with about 100 mm of rain a month against almost none in May.

What time of day is best to see a Chilean Flamingo?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Chilean Flamingo sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Lauca National Park the best place to see a Chilean Flamingo?

Yes

Of the 5 parks where we can rate Chilean Flamingo sightings, Lauca National Park has the highest daily chance: about 50%. Next come Torres del Paine National Park (Chile, about 20%) and Península Valdés (Argentina, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Chilean Flamingo live in Lauca National Park?

Same family: Phoenicopteridae

The closest relatives of the Chilean Flamingo that you can see in Lauca National Park (family Phoenicopteridae, Flamingos) are Andean Flamingo (about 30%) and James's Flamingo (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Chilean Flamingo sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Chilean Flamingo is recorded against all the birds logged in Lauca National Park (636 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Lauca National Park

Chilean Flamingo

About the Chilean Flamingo

Sounds

Recent sightings of Chilean Flamingo in Lauca National Park

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Lauca National Park

Andean Flamingo

James's Flamingo

Buff-winged Cinclodes

Black-hooded Sierra-Finch

Andean Goose

Crested Duck

Speckled Teal

White-fronted Ground-Tyrant

Giant Coot

Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch

Puna Ground-Tyrant

Rufous-collared Sparrow

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Chilean Flamingo in Lauca National Park?

When is the best time to see a Chilean Flamingo in Lauca National Park?

What time of day is best to see a Chilean Flamingo?

Is Lauca National Park the best place to see a Chilean Flamingo?

Which relatives of the Chilean Flamingo live in Lauca National Park?

Where does the Chilean Flamingo sighting chance come from?