Rescued Flamingo's Incredible Journey Reveals Comeback of Native Florida Flock

In August 2023, Hurricane Idalia disrupted the migration of a flock of 300-400 flamingos, blowing them off course and depositing them across the eastern United States. This unexpected arrival of the vibrant birds caught the attention of an estuarine scientist who had spent over 35 years studying American flamingos in Florida.

One of the rescued flamingos, named Peaches, was outfitted with a GPS tracker and a bright blue band by the scientist and his colleagues. Sadly, the tracker failed a few days after Peaches was released back into the wild near Tampa Bay. However, in June 2025, the scientist received an email from colleagues in Mexico who had photographed Peaches, still wearing the distinctive blue band, nesting in the Rio Lagartos Biosphere Reserve.

Peaches' journey is the latest development in the historical puzzle of flamingos in Florida. Though the native population disappeared over a century ago, the scientist believes that the ongoing efforts to restore the Everglades and coastal ecosystems may be facilitating the return of these iconic wading birds.

In the past two decades, the scientist and his colleagues have observed increasing numbers of flamingos in Florida, including larger flocks of 24 and 64 individuals. They have also documented banded flamingos that originated from breeding grounds in Mexico, providing evidence that wild flamingos are starting to spend more time in the Sunshine State.