'Unlucky in love' flamingo lays first egg aged 70

An "unlucky in love" 70-year-old flamingo has finally laid her first egg at a Norfolk nature reserve.

Gertrude is one of more than 60 flamingos who live in Pensthorpe Nature Reserve near Fakenham.

She arrived at the reserve in 2018 from WWT Slimbridge and before this season never showed any interest in breeding.

Gertrude with her egg (Image: Pensthorpe)Ben Marshall, the reserve's managing director, said: "Flamingos might live 40 years and Gertrude is 70, so at that ripe old age to be able to display maternal characteristics is amazing."

Mr Marshall describes Gertrude as being "unlucky in love" but said her egg was an "incredible sight to see" despite it not being fertile or viable.

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"While Gertrude won’t have an egg to hatch this year, lots of our other flamingos are due to hatch their flaminglets in a few weeks," he added.

"We know that Gertrude is very protective of the young in the flock and will make a great aunt and babysitter of the impending young."

Flamingo chicks are grey when they hatch and get their first pink feathers at four months (Image: Pensthorpe)Though the egg was not fertile, the team at Pensthorpe are happy that Gertrude laid the egg as it is an indicator that she is happy and healthy. 
 
Visitors to Pensthorpe can spot Gertrude in the pond at the wetland discovery area by looking for the ring on her leg which is white with "GPC" in black writing.

Her partner Gill, 37, also has a white ring with "GIL" in black writing.

Visitors can learn more about the flamingos at Pensthorpe during next week's half term when the aviculture team will be hosting daily flamingo talks at 11.30am.