'Unlucky in love' flamingo lays first egg aged 70

Ben Marshall said flamingos tend to only live for about 40 years in the wild

A flamingo who was described as having been "unlucky in love" has laid her first egg at a nature reserve aged 70.

Gertrude is part of a flamboyance of more than 65 flamingos at Pensthorpe nature reserve near Fakenham, Norfolk.

The reserve is awaiting new arrivals of flaminglets, as many of the birds are currently sitting on their nests before their eggs hatch.

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."

The reserve said the egg was an opportunity for Gertrude to express her maternal instincts

Mr Marshall described Gertrude as being "unlucky in love", but said her egg was an "incredible sight to see".

"It's her first time of laying an egg... it probably won't hatch but for her to be able to display those natural characteristics and to have the enrichment of going through that - it's amazing."

Although the 70-year-old was able to lay an egg, he said it was not fertile or viable.

"Whilst 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.

"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!"