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Greater Flamingo - Phoenicopterus ruber

Florida's Nonnative Wildlife. Species detail.

First year: 1930's

Extirpated year:

Established status: Species have populations whose status is unknown.

Estimated Florida range: 8 counties Not reported breeding

Statewide trend: Unknown status

Threats to natives: Unknown

Species Account: This species occurs naturally in Florida as a vagrant from the West Indies, Cuba, and the Bahamas. It was formerly abundant in extreme South Florida. However, captive flocks were established in South Florida in the 1930s, and these feral, semi-domestic birds are confused with birds arriving into Florida naturally.

Habitats: Estuarine community

County	First Year	Extirpated Year	Breeding status	Notes
Brevard	1992		Not reported breeding	Merritt Island NWR
Dade	1950s		Not reported breeding
Franklin	1995		Not reported breeding	probably West Indian birds displaced by Hurricane Allison (Pranty 1996e)
Hillsborough	2000		Not reported breeding	1 unbanded escapee near Alafia Bank. Pranty 2000b
Manatee	1999		Not reported breeding	probably was the bird that escaped from a Sarasota exhibit Pranty 1999b
Monroe	1994		Not reported breeding	Everglades National Park e.g. Pranty 1994a
Saint Lucie	1999		Not reported breeding	Hutchinson Island, Fort Pierce (St. Lucie) 28 Sep was thought to be a Georges-driven bird Pranty 1999c
Wakulla	1995		Not reported breeding	probably West Indian birds displaced by Hurricane Allison (Pranty 1996e)

References

Pranty, B. 1993d. Field Observations [FALL REPORT: AUGUST-NOVEMBER 1992] Florida Field Naturalist 21(2):42-51, 1993

Pranty, B. 1996e. Field observations [summer report: June-July1995]. Florida Field Naturalist 24:18-24.

Pranty, B. 1999c. Field observations [FALL REPORT: AUGUST-NOVEMBER 1998] Florida Field Naturalist 27(2):62-75, 1999.

Pranty, B. 2000b. Field observations [spring report: March to May 2000]. Florida Field Naturalist 28:204-215.

Robertson, W. B., and G. E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida bird species: an annotated list. Florida Ornithological Society, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

Stevenson, H. M., and B. H. Anderson. 1994. The birdlife of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

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