Flamingoes rarely live outside of a large colony, so the seven-bird flock which calls BG Bird Gardens home is unusual. The fact that in so small of a flock a baby was born is a virtual anomaly. It must be something in the water … or the birds must just know that love exists in this magical place. Against all odds, Pinkerton Biggi was born on July 2, 2012. Now 4 months old, he is thriving in his small flock of Chilean Flamingoes.
Lindi Biggi, President & Founder of Loving All Animals, welcomed her new addition to the BG flock. A long standing advocate of spay/neuter, Biggi thought it was impossible for this size of flock to successfully reproduce. Rare in colonies of less than 40 flamingoes, and unheard of in a group of seven, the birth is considered nothing short of miraculous. In such a unique instance and to further bird education, Biggi who does not advocate captive reproduction, carefully oversaw the birthing process from egg to hatchling. “With so many unwanted animals being born, I don’t usually allow reproduction here. But, this is truly something special. This small of a flock just doesn’t reproduce,” said Biggi. The rareness of the situation prompted Biggi to host an event which educated people about spay/neuter and introduce Pinkerton to his new admirers.
Once Pinkerton was born, some special arrangements had to be made. The free roaming cranes which inhabit BG Bird Gardens were moved to a separate area on the grounds. In their natural environment, an African Crane or a Chinese Crane would not interact with flamingoes. While there has never been an issue between the adult cranes and flamingoes, precautions were taken to safely acclimate the baby into the Bird Gardens.
Now fully integrated amongst the more than 60 exotic birds, Pinkerton is quickly growing, and will soon change from gray to pink. Only DNA testing can determine the sex of most birds; however, Pinkerton’s large size at only four months is indicative of a male. Groups interested in learning more about Pinkerton or exotic birds may schedule a tour of BG Bird Gardens by contacting Loving All Animals at (760) 834-7000.
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