If men today are particularly receptive to the aesthetic qualities and elegance of the greater flamingo (Phœnicopterus roseus), the flesh of its tongue was once very popular with the Romans, according to Seneca's Letters to Lucilius. This treat, renowned for its delicacy, featured prominently in banquets while, in the tropics, flamingo feathers were looked after for ornamental purposes. In captivity, greater flamingos are essentially fed on carotene-based substances to preserve the flamboyance of their plumage.