SARASOTA, Fla. (WSVN) — A local resident experienced rare and colorful encounter, captured on video, with a bright pink flamingo.
The footage, posted on Instagram, shows the majestic bird eating directly from the person’s hand, a sight that has enchanted viewers and highlighted the beauty of Florida’s wildlife.
The Florida resident was near a pond in the Sarasota Jungle Gardens, a zoo in Sarasota, when the curious and hungry flamingo approached them. The zoo offers flamingo feeding in their free-roaming flamingo exhibit for all guests.
Flamingos, known for their striking pink color, long legs, and sociable behavior, are not typically seen engaging so closely to humans.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, American flamingos are one of the largest species of flamingo, standing at an average of five feet tall, but only weighing about four to eight pounds.
Their feathers turn a beautiful shade of pink due to pigment from their diet of aquatic invertebrates, like shrimp.
Flamingos are very social animals and often gather in flocks that can range from a few flamingos to thousands. The animals communicate with each other through body displays and a range of vocalizations.
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