Philadelphia Zoo Unveils Brand-New Aviary “Flamingo Cove”

Philadelphia Zoo is excited to announce the grand opening of Flamingo Cove, an outdoor aviary featuring one of the Zoo’s most popular animals.

This new habitat, located next to McNeil Avian Center, honors the Zoo’s history by sustainably repurposing the original 1927 aviary. Updated features include a large, three-foot deep wading pool that allows the birds to swim, dedicated nesting islands for future breeding, renovated indoor spaces for the animals, and vibrant vegetation. The Zoo’s resident flamboyance of 10 Caribbean flamingos, a species that guests have seen here since 1899, are joined by a brand-new flamboyance of 14 African greater flamingos, which have not been at the Zoo for nearly 50 years. These two species are easily distinguished by their different shades of pink, as the African greater flamingos are much paler than their Caribbean cousins. Flamingo Cove is free with Zoo admission or membership. Member previews begin on Wednesday, June 11 before the habitat opens to all guests on Saturday, June 14.

“We’re thrilled to offer our guests a new opportunity to get up close to see and hear why a group of flamingos is called a flamboyance! Experiences like these get people excited about the beauty and wonder of the natural world and create memories that last a lifetime,” said President and CEO Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman.  “As we reimagine our campus, we want to excite people to support wildlife in ways that are meaningful to them.”

“Philadelphia Zoo has an important legacy with the care of flamingos, and this new habitat continues our work to always improve the care and wellbeing of all animals that call the Zoo home,” said Vice President of Animal Well-Being Rachel Metz. “We are so excited to introduce Philadelphia and the region to our new, mixed species flamboyance, and we cannot wait to see their reactions to the flamingos’ new home. It is the perfect way for guests to meet and learn about these animals.”

“Flamingos are such unique animals to work with,” said Assistant Director of Birds Christina O’Donnell. “They are very social and are constantly engaging with each other. The team is looking forward to participating with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan to manage their population in human care and protect this species. Our fingers are crossed for chicks in the future!”

Philadelphia Zoo was the first to discover that the flamingos’ vibrant color could be maintained through their diets. Prior to the Zoo’s innovations, the color of flamingos under human care often faded to nearly white. With the addition of carrot juice to their diets beginning in 1948, flamingos at the Zoo were pink once more. Today, the Zoo uses a special flamingo diet that includes a pelleted feed that gives them their bright color.

Joining the flamingos in their habitat are two swan geese, native to Mongolia, and one emperor goose, native to Alaska and parts of Russia. As this habitat evolves, the Zoo plans to incorporate additional birds from different species to create a robust avian ecosystem.

To celebrate the opening of Flamingo Cove, guests can visit the nearby Shamba yard for a pink lemonade or the Backyard Beer Garden for a boozy version; both come in a signature souvenir cup, only available through June 30.

Flamingo Cove comes as construction continues for the Zoo’s new Francis J. Carey Bear Country. This significant expansion and renovation of the Zoo’s bear habitats required a relocation of the flamingos from their previous home in Bird Valley. That space will be turned into a third bear habitat. Carey Bear Country also includes the extension of the Zoo’s revolutionary Zoo360 trail system. The W. P. Carey Foundation, with family roots in Philadelphia and a history of charitable giving in the region and throughout the country, has pledged lead charitable support for this project. In addition, this $20 million effort is being graciously supported by the William Penn Foundation, whose investment further emphasizes their commitment to making the arts and culture organizations in Philadelphia more accessible to all local residents. It is also supported by the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, donors, and continued fundraising efforts.