Last updated on April 18th, 2026 at 04:02 pm
For decades, the only flamingos in Florida were at zoos, Hialeah Race Track or decorating people’s lawns.
During the last two years, however, flocks of wild flamingos seem to have taken up residency.
While a flamingo or two have been spotted in Florida for many years, they were generally considered randos — birds that got lost somewhere along the line.
Then in September 2023 Hurricane Idalia swept many flamingos to Florida from the Yucatan and it appears some have stuck around: In February 2024, Audubon Florida organized an American Flamingo survey, in which 40 people reporting seeing 101 wild flamingos.
Fast forward to 2026 and flamingos are still here and have been sighted repeatedly in two areas in winter 2025-26:
- In Florida Bay, near Flamingo, in the remote shallow waters of Snake Bight. Photographers who have boated out there have documented as many as 50 flamingos at times.
- In Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, a dozen or two flamingos have consistently been seen near the boat launch at Haulover Canal and from the nearby Biolab road.
Flamingos have also been sighted occasionally in the last year or two in Estero Bay near Fort Myers Beach and along Sanibel Causeway.
Even before this flamingo windfall, a group of scientists in 2018 published a paper that contends that the occasional flamingo in Florida is evidence of a recovering species that disappeared from Florida in the early 1900s. They argue flamingos are native to Florida and disappeared because of “plume hunters.”
Will flamingos stay and thrive in Florida?
Audubon Florida’s Director of Research Jerry Lorenz, PhD, said he suspects that 100 flamingos counted in 2024 is the floor of this new population, and there could be more that were not counted during the one-week survey.
In a talk to the Audubon Society, Lorenz said he believes that flamingos can stay and thrive in Florida. He says perhaps the efforts to restore water flow in the Everglades and into Florida Bay has created an environment where flamingos may nest and maintain a population. “We are continually monitoring for breeding flamingos,” he said.
The research group analyzed historical evidence of American Flamingos in Florida from narrative accounts and museum records and contrasted that information to sightings of the pink bird.
They concluded that American Flamingos once occurred naturally in large flocks in Florida before disappearing by about 1905. Collected data since 1950 add up to 500 observations of American Flamingos in Florida with an increase in frequency and flock size over time.
Seeing flamingos in Florida now — if you’re lucky
Can you see flamingos?
There’s no guarantee, but people have been seeing flamingos regularly in several locations.
I’ll start for obvious reasons in Flamingo, that end-of-the-road spot in Everglades National Park where, despite the name, few visitors have seen a flamingo in a hundred years. Located at the edge of Florida Bay, that area is now where the most Florida flamingos have been spotted in one spot.
My attempt to kayak out to the Snake Bight area to spot flamingos failed because of high winds. But at the visitor center, with its big windows over Florida Bay, a sole flamingo could be seen about a quarter mile out into the bay, hanging out for several hours.
Tips on spotting flamingos.
For the last two years, birders have been reporting flamingo sightings on the e-bird.org rare-bird reporting web pages.
The most frequent location is Merritt Island NWR perhaps because it is easier to reach than Snake Bight in Florida Bay.
For those going to Merritt Island, photographer TJ Waller was nice enough to post this information, which includes a map: “Currently they are located near the small island at the end of the Haulover Canal Kayak launch. If you row out there, be responsible and don’t get too close.”
Audubon Florida’s Director of Research Jerry Lorenz says if the flamingo is aware of you — moving or shuffling its feet — then you’re too close. He suggests you give them at least 200 feet of space.
People have had good sightings from this location using scopes.
There are outfitters that specialize in taking visitors to see the flamingos at Merritt Island. I have seen Springs to Sea Outdoor Adventure & Education mentioned repeatedly in social media posts with flamingo photos.
Wild flamingos in Florida that have stuck around
One place where a flamingo has been seen over several years is St. Marks Wildlife Refuge in the Big Bend/Panhandle. Pinky the flamingo has been spotted periodically since Hurricane Michael in 2018.
In Palm Beach County, a flock of flamingos had come during some springs to an inland remote wetland about 10 years ago.
The flamingos picked a remote location, a water treatment facility in western Palm Beach County, Stormwater Treatment Area 2 (STA2). The flamingos only visited the Palm Beach County site in spring, and scientists don’t know where they come from or where they go. (They were not spotted during the March 2024 Audubon survey.)
The flamingo as the Florida State Bird?
During several recent sessions of the Florida Legislature, a bill was introduced to make the flamingo the Florida State Park instead of the mockingbird, which is the state bird of four other states. The bill has never advanced.
But flamingo lovers say it’s not over.
Dr. Steven Whitfield, conservation biologist and director of terrestrial and wetlands conservation for the Audubon Society, spoke to the Audubon Everglades in March 2024 and urged members to support the flamingo as the state bird.
“Call your legislators,” he said. “We will try again next year.”
Making flamingos the state bird will bring the bird public attention and raise awarness that flamingos are native to Florida and once breeded here. With conservation efforts, Whitfield says, they might do so again.
Want to see flamingos up close and easy?
The easy way to see flamingos is at several beautiful and historic Florida gardens.
Flamingo Gardens: Has the biggest tree and the largest collection of native wildlife in Florida. It combines history, beauty, flora and fauna for a fun outing. You can hand-feed the flamingos, located in a beautiful lagoon here.
St. Petersburg Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg: Starting in 1911, George Turner Sr., an avid gardener, drained a lake in a sinkhole and used the rich soil to plant fruit trees, flowering bushes and Royal Palm trees. This historic garden in downtown St. Petersburg has a flock of flamingos in a lovely setting.
Everglades Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs: Everglades Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs has survived since 1936. Now it’s a small but serene spot to enjoy glorious flora, colorful birds, gators and more. It’s located on Old 41 Road, a pocket of Old Florida that is having a renaissance. It is home to two flamingos from an original flock from the 1960s.
Birding resources:
- Florida Great Birding and Wildlife Trail: How to use this excellent website.
- Flamingos in Florida: Back for good?
- Birds hold court at Wakodahatchee Wetlands & Green Cay in suburban Palm Beach County
- Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray: Wood storks nesting in spring
- Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, Wellington: Top birding spot in sububan Palm Beach County
- Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge: Birds, beauty galore
- White pelicans: How to see spectacular birds wintering in Florida
- Circle B Bar Reserve: Lakeland park is terrific for wildlife
- Thousands of birds migrate over Keys in fall
- St. Augustine Alligator Farm bird rookery is thrilling for birders
- Fort Myers Bunche Beach: Heaven for birders, kayakers
- Naples Bird Rookery Swamp: 9 ways it’s great for hiking, biking
- Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge: Wild spot to hike and see wildlife
- Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
