Little Compton Astonished by Rare Pink Flamingo Sighting at Briggs Marsh

This summer has been filled with remarkable marine life sightings, from orcas off the Cape to dolphins up and down the coast. Yet, the most unexpected visitor recently made a splash in Little Compton’s waters—a stunning American flamingo.

Spotted wading in the shallow waters of Briggs Marsh, the flamingo's presence was first shared by Kate Johnson on the eBird app, managed by Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology. Johnson described the bird as an "Unmistakable, large pink wading bird with long neck and black tail feathers, curved bill that is white and black.."

The flamingo enjoyed the marsh's waters for most of the weekend, drawing the attention of local bird enthusiasts and researchers. Experts from the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary believe this could be the same flamingo spotted last month at Dennis Beach in Cape Cod.

While American flamingos are typically found in the Caribbean and along the northern coast of South America, with breeding populations in Cuba, Mexico, the British Virgin Islands, Venezuela, Bonaire, and the Bahamas, they have occasionally appeared in 14 other states, including North Carolina, Ohio, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

According to a report from East Bay RI, Mark Faherty of the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary suggests the bird may be part of a group scattered when Hurricane Idalia hit Florida last summer.

As sightings of this magnificent bird become more frequent, the appearance of an American flamingo in Little Compton adds another layer of intrigue and excitement to the summer's marine life stories. Keep your eyes peeled; you never know what might be wading in the waters near you.