Audubon Florida counts more than 100 flamingos in the Sunshine State

Audubon volunteers teamed up with the Florida Flamingo Working Group and the Caribbean Conservation Group for an epic flamingo census back in February. These bird enthusiasts spread out across the flamingos’ habitat, counting the iconic pink birds not only in the Bahamas, Cuba, Mexico, and Venezuela, where they typically reside but also in Florida, where they’ve been missing for nearly 125 years.

This was the inaugural formal count of the American flamingo, “Phoenicopterus ruber,” sparked by the unexpected arrival of hundreds of these flamboyant birds, blown into Florida by Hurricane Idalia last August. The final February tally? A modest 101. While it may seem small in a state that once boasted tens of thousands of flamingos, it’s a significant start for these majestic creatures making a potential comeback.

Flamingos begin to call Florida home again

“The largest group (50 plus) was spotted in Florida Bay; 18 were counted in the Pine Island area, with another 14 at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (near Cape Canaveral),” an Audubon press release announced.

“We are thrilled that there are flamingos that have remained in Florida after being blown here in 2023 by Hurricane Idalia. I suspect that 100 flamingos is the floor of this new population, and there could be more that were not counted during the one-week survey. We are continually monitoring for breeding flamingos,” says Jerry Lorenz, PhD, State director of research for Audubon Florida.

Flamingos used to live and probably bred in Florida. Unfortunately, the 19th century plume trade—when an ounce of feathers was worth more than gold—decimated wading birds in South Florida. Even after legislation and Audubon wardens protected these birds, extensive draining and ditching of the Everglades destroyed their habitat.

Thank you to Tampa Bay artist Alyssa Marie for sharing these Flamingo photos with us. Make sure to follow her art page and website for even more stunning content.

Note: Please give flamingos their space. If you are affecting their movement or behavior, you are too close. Use binoculars or a zoom lens to see the birds from a safe distance.