The Flamingo Heart at Hoskote Lake

Some Saturday mornings are simply too good to ignore. At 7:30 am, a friend messaged to say that Greater Flamingos had been spotted at Hoskote Lake. It was exciting news because these elegant birds are only occasional visitors to the lake. The last time Greater Flamingos made a stopover here was in March 2020, when I was fortunate enough to photograph them as well. You can read about that memorable encounter in my earlier post, Flamingos Visit Hoskote.

There was no time to waste. I persuaded my wife, Manju, to join me for what I promised would be a quick outing to see the flamingos. After dropping our child at school, Manju and I headed to Hoskote, hoping the birds were still there. Thankfully, they were. We were rewarded with wonderful views of all five visitors, all juvenile Greater Flamingos, making it a memorable start to the weekend.

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By the time we reached the lake at around 9:15 am, the day was already warming up. Fortunately, four of the juvenile flamingos were feeding close to the shore.

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I set up my camera and began capturing the elegant poses of these beautiful juvenile flamingos as they fed peacefully in the shallow waters.

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The brownish-white plumage identifies these birds as juveniles. Unlike adults, which display the iconic pink coloration, young Greater Flamingos gradually acquire their vibrant pink feathers over the next two to three years through pigments obtained from their diet.

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Flamingos feed by filtering tiny algae, crustaceans, and other aquatic organisms from the water using their uniquely adapted bills.

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Greater Flamingos are highly social birds, often feeding and resting in groups. These four juveniles rarely strayed far from one another during our visit.

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After spending some time away from the group, the fifth juvenile finally appeared, giving us the chance to photograph all five flamingos together.

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I followed the pair, hoping they would briefly align into the classic heart-shaped pose that every flamingo photographer dreams of. They came close several times, but the perfect moment remained just out of reach.

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One of the juveniles suddenly took off, revealing the faint blush of pink beginning to develop on its underwings—a sign that it was gradually transitioning toward adult plumage.

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Between bouts of feeding, the flamingos paused to preen. Their remarkably flexible necks allowed them to reach almost every feather, keeping their plumage clean and waterproof.

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In the wild, Greater Flamingos can live for 30 to 40 years, and some captive birds have lived for over 60 years.

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I decided to change my position for one final attempt at the classic flamingo heart pose. The pair continued feeding and occasionally looked up at each other, teasing me with a few near misses.

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Then, for a brief moment, their graceful necks aligned perfectly, forming the iconic heart shape I had been hoping for. It lasted only a second, but it was worth the wait.

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The iconic heart-shaped pose is often associated with flamingo courtship. If a pair successfully breeds, they usually lay a single egg and raise just one chick, with both parents sharing incubation duties and feeding the chick with a nutrient-rich crop milk during its early weeks.

Bonus from the previous day: Manju and I drove to Mysore for a peaceful visit to Chamundeshwari Temple and wrapped up the trip with a stop at the beautiful Mysore Palace.

As we made our way home, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the chance to witness another rare flamingo visit to Hoskote Lake. Here's hoping these graceful visitors return again, bringing with them many more memorable mornings.

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