Flamingos Research Paper

The origin of the species, Phoenicopteridae, more commonly know as flamingos, is often debated among scientists. Scientists also question the closest ancestor of this species. Although there are many hypotheses about their closest ancestor, they have not been able to narrow it down to just one. So who is the most common ancestor for the six species of flamingos?
Even though flamingos are over 30 million years old, their evolution is misunderstood. What is least understood about the flamingo is their relationship to other birds, despite a rich fossil record and well-studied feeding morphology. This uncertainty is shown by the many disagreements over the scientific theories, leaving room for more discoveries, which is why the evolution of flamingos is continuing to be studied.
Flamingos are most often associated with storks, herons, and ibises in the order Ciconiformes. Based off of appearance you would expect this to be true. However, Olson and Feduccia (1980), suggested that the order of Ciconiiformes could be wrong, and the different families that make up this order could truly be unrelated. Although it is easy to believe that they are most commonly related to Ciconiiformes due to appearance, this is wrong because the closest ancestors are not necessarily similar in appearance. After many studies scientists found this theory wrong
Eaech of the six species of flamingos are water birds that are very tall, with long necks and large beaks that allow for filter feeding. Flamingos can often be seen standing on one leg when they are in the water, which is speculated to be a way for them to conserve body heat. The erectile tissues fill with blood when they are upside-down eating, strengthening and supporting the floor of the mouth and tongue. This stabilizes the mouth and tongue allowing for flamingos to eat with their head upside down, which is a trait unique to