The flamboyant birds were blown into the state during Idalia, which made landfall in Florida's Big Bend in August. Since then, many have apparently flown back to their homes in Cuba or the Yucatan.
But at least 101 stayed in the state, says Jerry Lorenz, state director of research for Audubon Florida. That's more than scientists expected to remain in the state.
“I think most of them just went back to seemingly the Yucatan,” he said. “I am very pleased with having 100 flamingos that stayed. That's exceptional.”
The largest group - with more than 50 birds - was spotted in Florida Bay and the Everglades, which was their historical range before the feather trade and habitat destruction wiped them out.
Another 18 were counted in the Pine Island area near Fort Myers, with another 14 at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, near Cape Canaveral.
“With renewed effort to keep our wild areas, especially our wetlands wild instead of developed, we can see these birds ending up a lot of places,” Lorenz said. “And the fact that the state's getting warmer too is they probably can move up the coast now.”
Lorenz says it’s possible the two flamingos spotted in the Tampa Bay area could start a new colony.
More than 40 people filled out the survey in Florida. It was part of a larger effort by the Caribbean Flamingo Conservation Group to count all the birds throughout their range from Feb. 18-25.
