Pink Flamingos Return to South Florida via Hurricanes

Florida’s oceans slip between turquoise and emerald, its sunsets streak yellow and orange, and its politics shift from blue to purple to red. But pink is Florida’s favorite color. From the cheesy, plastic pink flamingo lawn ornaments and Elvis’ sleek, Pink Flamingo Cadillac in the 1950s, to “Miami Vice pink” and the emblem on Florida’s lottery tickets in the 1980s, pink flamingo-inspired kitsch is an enduring legacy of the Sunshine State.

Even when the real thing had vanished.

Pink flamingos were hunted to the brink of extinction in Florida for the then-fashionable plume trade up north a century ago. A few pink flamingos remained in Florida tucked away inside the environs of the Everglades, rarely seen, while the bulk of the remaining birds migrated to Cuba, Mexico, and the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Resurgence of Pink Flamingos in Florida

Several hundred of those were blown off-course by Hurricane Idalia last year, and to a lesser extent by Hurricane Ian in 2022, either landing or crash-landing throughout South Florida. And they’ve stayed. That includes nearly two dozen pink flamingos now at home in Pine Island.

Pink flamingos are known for their bright pink feathers, which are a result of their diet rich in beta-carotene.

“This event is unprecedented,” said Jerry Lorenz, who tracks the pink flamingos for Florida Audubon. “We’re talking more than 100 flamingos here. Will they stay? Will they leave? We want to know.”

The Abilities of Shorebirds to Survive Hurricanes

The abilities that shorebirds have developed to survive hurricanes over millions of years are extraordinary, or they wouldn’t exist. Ornithologists don’t know how birds can tell when a big blow is coming. Perhaps it’s due to the changes in barometric pressure, or storm clouds causing darkness during daylight hours.

Whatever the trigger, many birds sense the impending doom and move into literal flight or fight mode: they either fly away or find somewhere to assume crash positions.

A few hardy species like brown pelicans and whimbrels are strong enough to take on hurricane-speed winds.

The Positive Sign of the Pink Flamingos’ Return

Whether regular pink, garden pink, or closer to crimson glory, the resurgence of the bright flamingos in Florida is seen as a positive sign of adaptation to changing environmental conditions, including the increased water flows due to the ongoing Everglades restoration.

Erika Zambello, a spokeswoman for Audubon Florida, said birds are a key species that let humans know if their habitats are healthy. If pink flamingos remain in Florida it’s a positive indicator that they once again have enough food and intact wetlands to survive.

“It’s hard to talk about the Everglades in 2024 without talking about flamingos,” Zambello said. “We were excited to see that some of the Hurricane Idalia flamingos seem to have stuck around.”