English and Scientific names:	American Flamingo (Phoenacopterus ruber)
Number of individuals:	1
Locality: LOUISIANA:	Jefferson Davis Parish
Specific Locality:	Approximately 2 miles north of Jennings, LA on Hwy 26. The coordinates of the spot where I saw this American Flamingo are 30.2763 N  Latitude and   92.6703 W Longitude.
Date(s) when observed:	5/21/09
Time(s) of day when observed:	2:55 PM CDT
Reporting observer and address:	John Fowler Spanish Fort, AL
Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):	None
Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)	None
Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):	Bird was in full sunlight on a sunny day with the sun overhead
Optical equipment:	Naked eye only.
Distance to bird(s):	150 feet
Duration of observation:	1 minute
Habitat:	Flooded rice field near crawfish farm ponds.
Behavior of bird:	The bird was approximately 150 feet from the Hwy 26 roadway in a flooded rice field. A crawfish pond or field was nearby. It was flushed along with white egrets and herons, and took full flight with its neck completely outstretched, approximately 12 feet above the water’s surface. By the time I could safely pull me car over I did not see it again.
Description:	The flamingo had a lot of pink coloration, but not quite as much pink as flamingos I have seen in captivity. The black trailing feathers on the wings were very evident, as was the decurved beak. A 5 foot long bird when it attained full flight as I watched. approximatels 50% of the non-black parts of the wing plumage were white, and the rest pink with a rough looking border between the 2 colors. The legs were about 40% of the total bird length, and the body minus the neck ("body") about 20% of the total length, the outstretched neck and beak made up the remaining 40%. The "body" was not much different in size from a Roseate Spoonbill or Scarlet Ibis from my quick observation, but the neck, beak, and legs were much different. Neck was much longer than these other bird species, beak was decurved, legs very long.  The legs were much longer than other Flamingo species, and did not have the smooth, bumpy, shape of other flamingo species.
Voice:
Similar species:	Other Flamingo species: This bird’s legs were much longer than other flamingo species.
Photographs or tape recordings obtained?
Previous experience with this species:
Identification aids:	Peterson's Field Guide to birds of North America, Various other Birder books.
This description is written from:	Seen in zoos and other captive displays on many occasions including from 1 foot away in a cage once at Parrot Jungle in Miami.  I have also seen Chilean Flamingos in the wild in the Caribbean.
Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain:	Yes
Reporter:	John Fowler
Date and time:	5/21/09 2:55 PM CDT