Nature lovers in South Florida got the surprise of their lives this week.
What they spotted flying overhead broke all previous records.
And this pink discovery made Florida officials question everything they thought they knew about local wildlife patterns.
The biggest flamingo flock in a decade takes over the Everglades
Staff with the South Florida Water Management District couldn’t believe their eyes when they spotted around 125 American flamingos wading through the Everglades this week.¹
That massive pink gathering represents the largest group of flamingos seen anywhere in South Florida in the past 10 years.
The previous record was set back in 2014 when 147 flamingos were spotted in stormwater treatment area 2 in Palm Beach County.²
But this new sighting has wildlife experts scratching their heads because it’s happening at a time when flamingo populations were supposed to be struggling.
“We are seeing more & more flocks of flamingos along the coastal Everglades & in the STAs,” the South Florida Water Management District announced on social media.³
The discovery happened when avian ecologist and restoration scientist Mark Cook was conducting a routine survey for Wood Storks and Spoonbills along the Florida Bay coastline.
His helicopter pilot spotted two groups of birds below and Cook initially thought one group was Roseate Spoonbills.
But when he took a closer look, he realized they were flamingos – lots of them.
Cook explained that approaching the birds by helicopter caused them to scatter quickly.⁴
The pink birds scattered quickly across the sky, showing off their incredible flying abilities.
American flamingos are making a stunning comeback
These aren’t your typical zoo flamingos that most people are used to seeing.
These aren’t your run-of-the-mill birds either.⁵
American flamingos can tower up to 5 feet tall, making them giants among their flamingo cousins.
Florida used to be home to tons of these pink beauties, but hunters nearly wiped them out in the 1800s and early 1900s.
For years, wildlife folks figured they might never see big flocks like this again.
But the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has been keeping tabs on these birds, and the numbers are starting to look a lot better.
A 2024 survey spotted only around 100 flamingos in the wild throughout the entire state of Florida.⁶
That makes this week’s discovery of around 125 birds in a single location absolutely remarkable.
The fact that they’re showing up in increasing numbers along the coastal Everglades and in stormwater treatment areas suggests something significant is happening with their migration patterns.
Here’s what’s really interesting – almost all the flamingo action happens in three main spots: the Everglades, Biscayne Bay, and the Florida Keys.⁷
That’s where you’ll find 95% of all sightings.
But lately, they’re also popping up in those man-made treatment wetlands up north near the Everglades.
Hurricanes could explain the surge in flamingos
Scientists think big storms might be blowing these birds our way.
Remember Hurricane Idalia back in 2023? After that monster rolled through, flamingos started showing up everywhere – not just in Florida, but way up in Wisconsin and over in Texas.⁸
Those hurricane winds basically grabbed flocks from Mexico and Cuba and scattered them hundreds of miles from home.
Turns out flamingos are pretty tough cookies when Mother Nature throws them a curveball.
Cook noted that flamingos are excellent fliers capable of traveling vast distances quickly, making it easy for them to move between South Florida and Caribbean islands.⁹
The species is largely considered non-migratory, but they’ll fly great distances when searching for food and suitable habitat.
Flamingos as the official state bird?
Some politicians are thinking these pink birds deserve the top spot as Florida’s state bird.¹⁰
Now that flamingos are making such a big comeback, maybe it’s time to give them their due.
Right now, the Northern Mockingbird holds the title – and that bird’s been Florida’s official mascot since 1927.
But come on, when you think Florida, don’t you think flamingos?
The current state bird is the Northern Mockingbird, which was designated back in 1927.
But flamingos have a much stronger connection to Florida’s unique ecosystem and wetland environment.
They’re also becoming a symbol of successful conservation efforts as their populations slowly recover from the hunting pressures of the past.
The staff at the South Florida Water Management District clearly enjoyed their record-breaking discovery.
“On Wednesdays, we wear pink . . . or in this case we spot beautiful pink flamingos,” they joked in their social media post about the flock.¹¹
For nature lovers, this flamingo surge represents hope that Florida’s wetland restoration efforts are paying off.
If you’re lucky enough to spot one of these pink beauties in the wild, consider yourself blessed – nature’s still got some tricks up her sleeve.
But don’t even think about getting close for that perfect selfie.
These birds spook easier than a cat in a thunderstorm and they’ll be airborne before you can say “cheese.”
¹ South Florida Water Management District, Twitter post, July 11, 2025.
² WFLA News, “Largest flock of American flamingos in a decade spotted in Florida Everglades,” July 10, 2025.
³ South Florida Water Management District, Twitter post, July 11, 2025.
⁴ Mark Cook, Facebook post, July 2025.
⁵ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, American Flamingo Species Profile, 2025.
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ Ibid.
⁸ FOX Weather, “Largest flock of flamingos in recent memory spotted in South Florida,” July 11, 2025.
⁹ WFLA News, “Largest flock of American flamingos in a decade spotted in Florida Everglades,” July 10, 2025.
¹⁰ Amber Jo Cooper, “Largest flock of flamingos in a decade spotted in South Florida,” July 11, 2025.
¹¹ South Florida Water Management District, Facebook post, July 10, 2025.
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Author: rgcory
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