A Flamingo Moves to Michigan

Strange animal behavior indeed, I wonder what will happen to this bird in the winter? Will it start a new trend of migrating flamingoes?

Flamingo Shows Up In Autrain Lake
How it got there, nobody knows, but a flamingo has shown up on the shores of Autrain Lake.

Normally, the species is pink, but this one is mostly white with pink-tipped wings. Experts say the color can vary, and often does when the bird's diet changes.

Flamingos are native to South and Central America and Africa, and are found in the United States only in zoos or special exhibitions.

So the question remains, how did this lone bird get to the Upper Peninsula?

"We were thinking that the weather's been so hot and that could be one reason that it's come up to visit us, or maybe a hurricane blew it up," said Herb Blackstock, the owner of Northern Nights. "We just don't know."

I get worried when I hear about strange animal occurrences, it seems that there has been more bear/human contact, whales and other fishes are not in their local places and now a flamingo is in Michigan and has adapted there.

Here locally, it's been so hot that birds seek out shade and are now getting bold enough to hang around my porch in the shade and not even move when I come out. I'm surprised they're not scared of me and i have seen these birds sitting on my doorstep even as I open the door.

lol, just realized i went off on a tangent, so back to the flamingo...do you think that one bird could affect part of the species? Like influence others to migrate further north, change their diets etc?

ww I'm right there with you in your concern. This northern movement of ranges of species is exactly what Dr. Parmesan talked to us about last year, and it just seems to be getting worse. We now have tropical species that have moved as far north as southern Texas.

Here in Utah we have a bright pink flamingo that winters on the great salt Lake. It has been tracked to flathead lake in Montana where 'Pink Floyd'(yes thats his real name) summers

He did NOT relocate here on his own however. About 10 years ago he escaped from an aviary in Liberty park in Salt Lake City. He flew to the great salt lake and finding the abundance of brine shrimp happily made this his new home.
He is beloved by most the community, and a club called 'freinds for Floyd' go to the lake regularly and place plastic pink flamongos on the beaches in hopes he wont be to lonley.I am a member of this club!
Alot of people want to get him some real friends and start a flock on the lake. Wildlife specialists do not think this is the best idea so they wont let it happen. Believeing this will change the eco system.
I dont see how this would REALLY change the eco system when its allready a wild bird refuge inundated with sand hill cranes and blue herons. I say lets let Pink FLoyd have buddies!!!

[edit on 8-8-2005 by theRiverGoddess]

Maybe this MI flamingo is an escapee from a nearby zoo? Or, a smaller animal shelter?
The Detroit Zoo may have them, I cannot remember.
What's to keep them from taking off, maybe they forgot to clip their feathers and the bird could take off for parts unknown?