When most people think of bird families that might be associated with the 12 Days of Christmas, they don't think of tropical species, but that's exactly the type of bird that best fits today's verse.
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... Eight maids a-milking.
So where are the birds? In the "milking" of course; while birds aren't mammals, there are a few select species that produce "crop milk" to feed their chicks, and among them are birds in the Phoenicopteridae family, the flamingos. So the next time you want to decorate with these tropical birds in Santa hats, feel free - they're perfectly seasonal!
Flamingo and Chick
Photo © Martin Pettitt
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