The Long Flight of the Phoenix | Go Wild

Every year the flamingos along the Mediterranean shores set off in search of a suitable breeding place. This beautiful and delicate bird has fascinated civilizations for centuries and thus the myth of the phoenix was born. “The bird of the sun”, as it was referred to in ancient Egypt, has existed for ten million years and is still here. Today, our phoenixes are found in the south of Spain, in the Atlantic marches of Doñana. They spend the winter in this mild and welcoming habitat with its rich feeding grounds. However, when spring comes, the sun lets them know that it is time to start looking for suitable places to build their nests. In this documentary we follow the flamingos on their flight in search of a suitable breeding place, which they finally find in the lagoon of Fuente de Piedra. With its salty water over thick, black mud, Western Europe’s largest lagoon is just the right sanctuary for their annual reproduction cycle. Few places like this still remain because they are vulnerable ecosystems. We accompany the bird colony while they raise their offspring. Many dangers threaten this exhausting challenge but in the end the young birds leave behind their grey childhood plumage and learn to fly. The long nomadic flight of the Phoenix begins again.