American Flamingo
American Flamingo
Phoenicopterus ruber
At a Glance
Until about 1900, flocks of flamingos from the Bahamas regularly migrated to Florida Bay, in what is now Everglades National Park. Today, most flamingos seen on the loose in North America are considered suspect, as possible escapees from aviaries or zoos. However, some of those appearing in Florida Bay may still be wanderers from Bahamian colonies, and some seen in coastal Texas may come from colonies on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Flamingos, Long-legged Waders
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Coasts and Shorelines, Saltwater Wetlands
Region
Florida, Southeast
Behavior
Direct Flight, Rapid Wingbeats
Population
180.000
Range & Identification
Description
48" (1.2 m). W. 4'7 (1.4 m). Tall and thin. Much longer neck and legs than Roseate Spoonbill, and strikingly different bill shape. Adults are bright pink all over, bill with pink base and black tip. Immatures are paler and grayer. Note: other species of flamingos, escaped from zoos, are sometimes seen.
Size
About the size of a Heron
Color
Black, Pink, Tan
Wing Shape
Pointed, Tapered
Tail Shape
Short
Songs and Calls
Goose-like honking and cackling notes.
Call Pattern
Falling, Undulating
Call Type
Croak/Quack
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