PARIS - The lakes where Africa's flamingos congregate in spectacular numbers are producing less food for the iconic birds as their water levels rise, threatening the survival of a much-loved species.
Three-quarters of the world's lesser flamingos live in East Africa and more than a million birds at a time can gather at lakes in huge "flamboyances" for feeding and courtship.
But as these lakes expand to record highs, scientists have discovered they produce less of the unique algae upon which flamingos rely, putting at risk a species already in decline.
This is driving the distinctive, pink-plumed birds away from their usual habitats into unprotected areas in search of food, said Aidan Byrne, lead author of the research.
Flamingos use their specialised beaks to feed on a particular type of algae that exists in salty, alkaline waters known as soda lakes.
These lakes are concentrated in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia and despite being harsh landscapes, certain species -- including the flamingo and the algae they feast on -- have adapted to thrive there.
But the lakes have risen to levels not seen in decades, driven in part by increased rainfall linked to climate change over the catchment areas.
This has greatly diluted the alkalinity and salinity of the water at these soda lakes.
"We were surprised at the scale of the changes, and how much the flamingo habitats are threatened," he told AFP.
Erratic and extreme rainfall predicted for East Africa in future would only make the problem worse and "increase the threat to the species within the region", he added.
Flamingo habitats in East Africa are protected whereas outside these ranges monitoring would be difficult and other threats -- including from humans -- could emerge, he said.
"They're just such an iconic species that are unique to these environments. If they're lost, it would be devastating," Byrne said.