Zoo welcomes first flamingo chick in 22 years

A Rhode Island zoo welcomed its first flamingo chick in 22 years.

The Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence says the baby bird hatched on Oct. 1.

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Zookeepers said the chick is a "historical birth" for the facility, since its the first flamingo born there since 1998.

baby flamingo chick

(Roger Williams Park Zoo via Storyful)

"Mom is doing a great job tending to her little one," the zoo said.

The Chilean flamingo is native to South America, but are able to endure cold temperatures unlike their Caribbean counterparts.

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According to SeaWorld, flamingos are not born with pink plumage, but instead are gray when they hatch. Their bright color comes from pigments they consume as part of their diet.

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