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Posted by Larry Manfredi on 16:09:49 10/05/07
I noticed this Greater Flamingo that is being seen from Louisiana, this is the same bird that was in Texas after Hurricane Rita two years ago. What does this have to do with Florida? Well if you look at the color of the bird, it is exactly the same as the Cutler Wetland bird and the adult birds from Snake Bight. The Greater Flamingo from Louisiana was banded on the Yucatan Peninsula, one of the birds from Snake Bight was also banded there. I think the color of these birds is significant as to whether it is wild or an escapee as Rafael Galvez has found out.
I will feel more confident about any Greater Flamingos outside of Everglades National Park if I see the color well. The only other question is how long would it take a captive bird to become the same color if left in the wild? A link to a photo is below, it also shows an Old World Flamingo from a Kansas Zoo that has joined it.
http://www.losbird.org/bulletin/flamingos.html
Larry Manfredi
Homestead, FL
E-mail: birderlm@bellsouth.net
http://www.southfloriabirding.com
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