Flamingo in the Florida Keys!

Last week a flamingo was spotted in the the Florida Keys on Sugarloaf key!! This is rare visitor to the Florida Keys, and to Florida in general. This past July of 2020, another rare flamingo was spotted all the way at the end of Big Torch Key(pictured in photo above). There was a flock of about 5 or 6 initially. One stayed for about 2 weeks until he moved on with his buddies. The photo below was taken this last weekend at Sammy's Creek, on Sugarloaf key.

Believe it or not flamingos used to be plentiful in Florida, hence being a symbol of all that is Floridian. They were hunted for their plumage before the migratory bird act was set in place. All birds in Florida are now protected. No one is able to hunt birds, and it a crime to harm them in any way.

Believe it or not this is not the first sighting of a flamingo in Florida. There have been flamingos sighted in the everglades at Lake Ingraham-coincidentally enough near "Flamingo" in Everglades National park. They have also been spotted at Snake Bight, and a few other remote areas in the Everglades. There is another flock in Hialeah, Fl, and in Central Florida a few have also been seen. Occasionally they are spotted in the Florida bay as well. They are an infrequent visitor to the lower keys as well. If you look in the Sibley Bird Guide you will see South Florida is the northern most habitat.

There was a Flamingo named "Conchy" that visited the Boca Chica naval base, near Key West, back in 2015. They tried to get him to leave the naval base because they didn't want him to get sucked into a jet engine, or get injured at the naval base. Apparently he refused to leave. Well as the story went, there were some biologists at the Miami Zoo that wanted to track a flamingo to find out where they were coming from, and where they would go. They eventually did catch him, and band him. They thought he would go somewhere far like Mexico or the Caribbean, but he stayed right in the Florida bay. Could this be Conchy? No one can know for sure, but he could very well be!

Want to see "conchy" before he moves one? Seeing a wild flamingo in the Florida is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You will need to take a long drive almost to Key West. Close to the end of Sugarloaf Key you will find him all the way out in the bay at Sammy's Creek. He was quite far out, looked like a pink bouy. You would have missed him if you weren't looking for him. Best time of day to view is at low tide. Be sure to respect this bird from a distance as it rests it and feeds. Don't kayak or take your boat close him. Always respect birds from a far, and do not disturb them as you enjoy the view from farther away. Maybe more flamingos will come to Florida to join their friend. Wouldn't that be amazing to one day have wild flocks of flamingos all over Florida? I would love to see them as often as we see great egrets and herons. That would be a dream!