These rare James’s flamingos live in the Andes mountains of South America.

Though only three feet tall, their colors are stunning with pale pink bodies, yellow beaks, black wingtips, and bright carmine accents on their necks and backs.  They look as if they were painted.

Until I found this photograph on Wikimedia Commons, I had no idea these birds existed.  They’re so beautiful I had to share them.

“The world is so full of a number of things,
I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.” 

— Robert Louis Stevenson

(photo by Christian Mehlführer on Wikimedia Commons.  Click on the caption to see the original)