Are American flamingos returning to Florida?
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — American flamingos were once all over the state of Florida, and for years, it was hard to spot one in the area.
But now, many are slowly making a return to Florida.
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A conservation and research head at the Miami Zoo told NBC affiliate WESH that flamingos are resurging in the area and are in part of a longer trend as they return to Florida in larger numbers.
Flamingos began returning to the Caribbean and are slowly making their way north.
“They are magnificent to watch. If you ever see a true, wild flamingo, they are magnificent,” local wildlife photographer Erin Rotne told WESH after visiting the Haulover Canal on the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge.
Courtesy: NBC affiliate WESH Courtesy: NBC affiliate WESH Courtesy: NBC affiliate WESH Courtesy: NBC affiliate WESH
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, most American flamingos in Florida live along the coast. They mainly live in southern Florida, like the Everglades, Biscayne Bay, and the Florida Keys.
In August 2023, lots of flamingos washed up with Hurricane Idalia. “Peaches,” the flamingo, was a notable bird that made its way to Indian Shores.
“Upon arrival, it was just very weak, exhausted, and what we call quiet,” a doctor at the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary told WFLA. “So, just not totally acting normal, definitely appeared exhausted.”
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