Pink is an unusual color to find in the animal kingdom, as most species have evolved more neutral or camouflaging colorations. However, there are a few animals that exhibit a light or pastel pink hue. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the animals that can have a rosy pink appearance and discuss why they have this distinctive coloration.
Flamingos
One of the most well-known pink animals is the flamingo. The vibrant pink feathers of flamingos are unmistakable and make them stand out in their wetland habitats. But flamingos aren’t born with pink feathers – they acquire their coloration from their diet. Flamingos feed on brine shrimp and blue-green algae which contain pigments called carotenoids. As flamingos eat more of these pigmented foods, the carotenoids build up in their feathers and turn them pink. Their color can range from pale pink to bright reddish-pink depending on how much carotenoid pigment is present. The pink color comes from carotenoids called canthaxanthins, phoenicopteraxanthins, and phoenicopterins. Baby flamingos hatch with gray or white feathers and don’t start to turn pink until they are a few years old and have consumed enough carotenoid-containing foods.
Pink Fairy Armadillos
The pink fairy armadillo is the smallest species of armadillo, and is native to central Argentina. They are approximately 5-6 inches long with delicate, pale pink armor plating. They have long silky pelts that protrude between the sections of plating, adding to their pink appearance. The pink coloration acts as camouflage, allowing them to blend into the sandy desert environment where they live. When they feel threatened, pink fairy armadillos can bury themselves completely in seconds. Their pink color, tiny size, and ability to disappear under the sand has earned them the “fairy” designation.
Axolotls
Axolotls are a type of salamander native to Mexico and are a pale pink color with spots. They are neotenic, meaning they retain juvenile characteristics like their coloration into adulthood. Wild axolotls are a mottled pinkish-brown, but pink albino axolotls are common in captivity due to a recessive gene mutation. Axolotls have frilly pink gills protruding from the back of their heads which they use to breathe underwater. When conditions get harsh, axolotls are able to morph into a terrestrial form and lose their pink coloration. The pink color stands out against the dark lake bed environment where axolotls live, but they have poor eyesight and blend in well against the background when viewed from above.
Pink River Dolphins
Pink river dolphins, or Amazon river dolphins, inhabit several major river systems in South America. Their formal name is Inia geoffrensis. As their common name suggests, they have a distinctive pink coloration which comes from blood capillaries near the surface of their skin. Their pink hue is thought to be an adaptation to help them blend into the reddish rivers where they live. Unlike other river dolphins, pink river dolphins are able to turn their necks due to having unfused vertebrae, allowing them to maneuver well in shallow, twisting river habitats. They feed on dozens of fish species as well as crabs and turtles.
Roseate Spoonbills
Roseate spoonbills get their name from their pink feathers and spoon-shaped bills. They live in wetlands from the Gulf Coast south to Argentina, and sport a vibrant pink-magenta plumage with areas of orange and red. Their color comes from carotenoid pigments in their diet of crustaceans, fish and aquatic insects. Roseate spoonbills will forage in shallow waters swinging their bills back and forth feeling for prey to snatch up. The distinct spoon-shaped bill allows them to sift the muck and snap up food sources. In flight, these large pink birds are quite a sight with massive wingspans up to 52 inches.
Pink Pigeons
Pink pigeons are found only on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. This medium-sized pigeon has pinkish-purple iridescent plumage on its back and wings, with a rusty orange tail and collar. Due to its limited habitat and small population of only about 430 birds, the pink pigeon is an endangered species. Conservation efforts have helped protect nesting sites and eliminate invasive predators that were threatening the pigeons. Their pink and orange coloring is thought to play a role in mate selection, with the brightest, most vibrant birds having higher reproductive success. The pigeons feed on seeds, fruits, buds, and some invertebrates.
Galapagos Pink Land Iguanas
The Galapagos Islands are home to marine iguanas with a turquoise coloration, the only iguanas in the world that forage in the ocean. They also have a species of land iguana that has a light pink hue. The pink coloration comes from pigments that help protect the iguanas from the high levels of UV radiation on the islands. Compared to the more common yellowish land iguanas, the pink ones have extra melanin and carotenoids that provide UV protection. These iguanas have a diet rich in plants containing carotenoids which leads to the pink coloration when combined with melanin. Not all Galapagos pink land iguanas are brightly colored – they can range from light pink to a drab gray pink depending on their diet.
Pink Underwing Moths
Several species of moth in the Catocala genus are known as pink underwings. These large moths are active at night and at rest they are camouflaged against tree bark with mottled gray, brown and black wing patterns. When disturbed, they flash their upper wings to reveal a vivid stripe of pink on the undersides. This startles predators long enough for the moths to escape. Two examples are Catocala concumbens, or the pink-underwing, and Catocala ilia, known as the Ilia underwing. These moths can be found across North America in forests and woodlands where their bark-like coloration provides good camouflage against daytime predators.
Pink Grasshoppers
While most grasshoppers tend to be green or brown, some species of grasshoppers can exhibit more unusual colors like pink. The band-winged grasshopper (Arphia pseudonietana) is found across the central and western United States and can have bright pink wing bands. The Valentine’s day grasshopper (Romalea microptera) gets its common name from males that develop vibrant pink or red coloration. Another hopper known as the pink-winged grasshopper (Psoloessa delicatula) occurs in California and Nevada. It has mostly black coloration but its hind wings have pronounced pink basal spots. These and other grasshoppers get pink elements in their coloration from carotenoids obtained from the plants they eat.
The Pink Katydid
While katydids are usually green to blend in with foliage, the pink katydid (Elimaea quadricolor) stands out with its distinct coloring. It has bright bubblegum pink wings and a lime green body. It’s found in Central and South America in dense rainforest habitats. The pink katydids contrast sharply with the vegetation which leads scientists to believe their coloring is a form of warning coloration. Bright colors can signal toxicity or bad taste to potential predators in the animal kingdom. While not yet proven, the pink katydid could sequester toxic compounds from its food plants to deter predators. More research is needed on these little-studied insects to fully understand their unusual coloration.
Rosy Maple Moths
The rosy maple moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) is a small North American moth with vibrant pink and yellow coloration. They exhibit sexual dimorphism, meaning the females have brighter pink wings and a thicker yellow band than the males. Their coloration derives from the pigment astaxanthin which also gives salmon, lobster and flamingos their red-pink hues. The vibrant colors serve as a warning to birds and other predators that they don’t make for tasty meals. While they can’t sting or bite, rosy maple moths taste unpleasant due to chemicals they obtain from their larval host plants.
Pink Lizards
Several lizard species around the world can display pinkish hues, especially when basking in the sun. The Moorish wall gecko, found around the Mediterranean, often has lavender pink coloration. Adult green anoles sometimes develop light pink coloration, likely from carotenoids in their fruit diet. The Canary Island wall gecko has pinkish coloration in warmer rocky habitats. In Australia, eastern water dragons develop orangey-pink tones along their back and sides. However, pink lizards by nature are fairly uncommon, as most lizards have evolved green, brown, or grey camouflaging colors better suited for their habitats. When pink lizards do occur in nature, it’s likely related to diet, temperature regulation, or mating displays.
The Pink Underwing Moth
The pink underwing (Phyllodes imperialis) is a moth native to Australia with distinctive coloration. At rest they are well camouflaged, with cryptic patterns of lichen-like markings in shades of gray, brown, and black. When disturbed, they expose bright pink hindwings with contrasting bands of black and iridescent blue. This coloration serves to startle predators and give the moths time to escape. The pink underwing moth is closely related to the more common orchid moth, and can be found in woodland and forest habitats across a wide swath of eastern Australia.
Pink-eared Ducks
The pink-eared duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) is a type of waterfowl found across Australia and New Guinea. As their name suggests, they have distinct pink markings around their ears along with pink bills and feet. Their overall plumage is brown with black-and-white speckles. The pink coloration becomes brighter during breeding season and helps the ducks identify potential mates. Pink-eared ducks frequent shallow wetlands and build nests near water, sometimes in tree cavities. They are highly nomadic, traveling in response to rainfall and habitat conditions across the interior of Australia.
Pink Animals in Captivity
Some animals that are not naturally pink in the wild may develop pink coloration when kept in captivity. This includes animals that lose their natural pigments when their dietary needs are not met. Flamingos, for example, will gradually lose their pink hue if they don’t consume enough carotenoids. Axolotls often lack their full pink color if not fed the proper balance of vitamins and minerals. Additionally, albino animals of many species can exhibit pink eyes, skin, or feathers due to a lack of melanin. Examples include albino alligators, squirrels, hedgehogs, gorillas, and snakes that display varying degrees of pink.
Conclusion
While the animal kingdom tends to favor more camouflaging and natural colorations, there are some fascinating creatures that display hues of light or bright pink. Flamingos and roseate spoonbills get their pink hue from specialized carotenoid pigments in their diet. Mammals like pink fairy armadillos, pink river dolphins, and the endangered pink pigeon owe their coloration to blood vessels and skin pigments. And insects like pink grasshoppers and katydids derive pink hues from the plant compounds they ingest. Pink can serve purposes like camouflage, mating displays, or warning coloration depending on the species and its environment. Whatever evolutionary causes underlie these unique color schemes, pink animals showcase nature’s endless capacity for vibrant variation.
References
Much of the information in this article is gathered from these sources:
- Hill, G. E. (2002). Red Bird in a Brown Bag: The Function and Evolution of Colorful Plumage in the House Finch. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Caro, T. (2017). Zebra stripes. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Martin, G. R., & Osorio, D. (2008). Vision in birds. In Basics of vision. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11556/
- McGraw, K. J. (2006). Mechanics of Carotenoid-Based Coloration. In Hill, G. E., & McGraw, K. J., Bird Coloration: Mechanisms and Measurements (Vol. 1) (pp. 177-242). Harvard University Press.
- Svensson, L., Mullarney, K., & Zetterstrom, D. (2009). Birds of Europe. Princeton University Press.
- Cott, H. B. (1940). Adaptive coloration in animals. London: Methuen.
- National Geographic. (n.d.). Pink river dolphin, island of the blue-eyed pink dolphins. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/p/pink-river-dolphin/
| Animal | Habitat | Pink Coloration Causes |
|---|---|---|
| Flamingos | Wetlands | Diet high in carotenoids |
| Pink fairy armadillos | Deserts | Camouflage in sandy environment |
| Axolotls | Lakes | Pigment mutation |
| Pink river dolphins | Rivers | Blood capillaries near skin |
| Roseate spoonbills | Wetlands | Diet high in carotenoids |
| Pink pigeons | Forests | Skin pigments |
| Galapagos pink land iguanas | Islands | Melanin and carotenoids for UV protection |
| Pink katydids | Rainforests | Possible warning coloration |
