Okay. So, let’s talk yard flamingos.
First of all, is it flamingo or flamingoes? Either is acceptable, but flamingos is more common. It’s good to get that out of the way.
Here in Florida, yard flamingos are common. Until March 2026, the Northern Mockingbird was the state bird. But the state house and senate just passed legislation making the American Flamingo the new state bird. This is just one very important issue the state government in Tallahassee must address. But this post isn’t about politics. It’s about flamingos!
Here in northeast Florida, people love to put metal, plastic, and ceramic flamingos in their front yards. Some have been there for a long, long time. They are faded and rusty. Others are fresh pink plastic versions of the birds we love to see at the zoo in Jacksonville.
Flamingos are pink mostly because they eat brine shrimp.
The collective noun for flamingos is a flamboyance. I love that!
Plastic pink flamingos were first made by Don Featherstone in 1957 (that’s when I was born!). They were designed to be tacky, but also to indicate ownership with no mortgage.
Some say flamingos communicate your courage to be who you are, live your color (what color am I?), and be connected to a flock.
I like all of those directives. However, most of the flamingos in front yards are old, worn, and weathered. They are tired memories of well-intentioned front yard decorating ideas.
One of my granddaughters combined flamingos and penguins into a mythical “flaminguin”. Can you imagine a flamingo in a black and white tuxedo? Or a pink and white penguin? I can. It’s awesome!
Waite for it... 