Rare Black Flamingo Returns to Akrotiri Salt Lake

A rare black flamingo has appeared at Akrotiri Salt Lake, offering a striking sight among the thousands of pink flamingos that winter in Cyprus.

The unusual bird stands out because, instead of the species' characteristic pink plumage, it has an almost entirely black body, while retaining its pink neck and long legs.

Photographs of the rare visitor were shared on social media by Constantinos Savva in the "KYNHGI-HUNTING" group, showing the flamingo feeding in the shallow waters of the salt lake alongside other birds.

Why is the flamingo black?

According to a report by ANT1, the bird's distinctive appearance is the result of melanism, a rare genetic condition that causes increased production of melanin, the pigment responsible for dark colouring in feathers, skin and fur.

Speaking to ANT1, Nikos Kasinis, an official with the Game and Fauna Service, said dark-coloured flamingos occasionally appear in Cyprus and Israel and are believed to move throughout the wider eastern Mediterranean region.

He noted that similar sightings have been recorded intermittently over the past 15 years, sometimes years apart and sometimes within a few months of each other.

Flamingo migration season

The appearance of the rare bird coincides with the annual migration period for flamingos, which leave their breeding grounds and travel to warmer areas for the winter.

Cyprus is one of their regular destinations, with important wetlands including:

• Akrotiri Salt Lake
• Larnaca Salt Lake
• Oroklini Lake

These sites host large numbers of migrating birds every year.