Flamingos back in force in Florida for first time in 100 years with the help of Hurricane Idalia’s winds
Who doesn’t need a change in scenery every once in a while?
Flamingos were spotted dipping their signature pink wings into the waters of Florida for the first time in a century after they were blown off course by the intense gusts of Hurricane Idalia.
The rare sightings of the wading birds have been reported at numerous natural waterways throughout the Sunshine State in the days following Idalia’s wrath, and even as far north as Pennsylvania and west as Texas, officials said this week.
The flamingos were likely blown into Florida from their native Mexico and Cuba when Idalia first formed over Central America as a trough of low pressure before moving north toward the southeastern US.
“Hurricane Idalia likely ‘captured’ single flamingos and small flocks from these regions, blowing them to Florida on strong storm winds,” environmental group Audubon Florida said.
The spontaneous change in environment didn’t seem to shake the flamingos, however.
Breathtaking photographs show the fluorescent birds making themselves comfortable in the tropical climate and clear waters of Florida, which they haven’t called home in 100 years.
The Sunshine State had been a haven for the birds until the early 19th century when fashion trends pivoted toward the popularity of feathers.
Over the next century, flamingos were hunted to near-extinction for their brightly-colored quills so that women could wear them as adornments in their hats, according to Audubon officials.
The catastrophic draining of the Everglades in the 1900s only exacerbated the issue, forcing the few surviving beautiful birds to seek safety further south.
The rare flamingos that call Florida their permanent home only make up a mere 1% of the global flamingo population, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Groups like Audubon and other environmental advocates are pushing for stricter protections for the nestings of wading birds.
The equally pink Roseate Spoonbills population was revived in the state in recent years thanks to restoration efforts, igniting some hope that the same can be done for the American Flamingo.