In the excitement over the potential addition of American Flamingo to the New York State Checklist, people have been curious about prior records. As far as I am aware, there have been four prior occurrences of American Flamingo. All of these were doubted as
natural vagrants at the time, but no evidence of captive origin is cited in any of the cases (except for "faded plumage" in one case), and what is known of the dates and locations of their occurrences actually appear consistent with natural vagrancy. In particular,
the records from 1964 and 1965 occurred during a period of multiple occurrences in nearby Massachusetts and elsewhere.
about 1915, Speonk, Suffolk County
Birds of the New York Area, p. 471; John Bull
“shot by duck hunters… mounted specimen still in Westhampton.”
Described by Leroy Wilcox as “in bright plumage” and was considered by Bull to have “possibly wandered north or was hurricane borne, but of this we cannot be certain.”
3 Oct 1931, Shinnecock Bay, Suffolk County
Birds of the New York Area, p. 471; John Bull
collected by Leroy Wilcox, who described it as “somewhat faded" and regarded by Bull as "presumably escaped from captivity.”
14 Nov 1964, Hudson River shore near Coxsackie, Greene County
The Kingbird 15: 49, 1965; Peter P. Wickham
“the bird was able to fly and was seen by numerous observers in this vicinity until it was captured Nov 25 and turned over (alive) to the Delmar Game Farm; it seems probable that this bird is non-feral, although its origin has not been dtermined with certainty.”
The Kingbird 16: 60-61, 1966; Thomas H. Davis and Fred Heath
2 Sep 1965, Mecox Bay; 9 Sep-16 Oct, Shinnecock Inlet, Suffolk County
“probably an escape.”
Shai Mitra
Bay Shore
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