The concept of decorating a garden can be dated back as far as 16th century BC Egypt!
Over the years, the opinions surrounding what makes a good garden aesthetic have changed just like any other trend.
However, something that we always see a lot of is the plastic pink flamingo.
Sometimes there will be a single statue while other times, you might see a whole flock. But what does this mean?
Pink flamingos have quite a few meanings including beauty, pizzazz, vibrance, romance, balance, parties, and elegance.
So many people choose to have them in their yards as a nod towards this symbolism.
However, there have been many incidents of people getting ‘flocked’ for charity or as a prank and this is just one of the things we will be looking at in this guide to the plastic pink flamingo!
What Does The Pink Flamingo Symbolize?
Pink flamingos have a lot of associated symbols so it’s no wonder that they’re often found adorning back and front yards around America.
Beauty
Just take a look at the flamingo and you’ll quickly see that these are stunningly beautiful birds.
They have long been featured in paintings and photos and are among some of the most eye catching birds.
So then, it won’t come as much of a surprise to learn that they are a symbol of beauty.
Parties
It might sound a little strange but bear with us on this.
Flamingos are also a symbol of partying and this is because these birds are very sociable animals.
They’re typically found living in large colonies that can exceed thousands in number.
So, if you’re having a party, a flamingo might be the perfect decoration.
In Addition to This – Many people believe that flamingos offer some sort of spiritual guidance. It’s said that if one suddenly appears this could be a sign that you need to improve your social life.
These birds are letting you know that there is a lot to be gained by spending time with others.
Romance
The very color of a flamingo with its pink and red tones is enough to bring on thoughts of romance.
But what’s even more interesting is that these birds are quite the romantics themselves and can often be seen taking part in fancy courting rituals during mating season.
This involves a lot of dancing to impress their potential partner.
But these birds don’t mate for life like many other species although when they do mate, they take their responsibilities very seriously which is probably why they are a symbol of romance.
Pizzazz
Let’s face it, flamingos are pretty showy birds that just make you think of all things sparkly, fancy and flashy.
You’ll often see them used in gardens for this very reason but other places use flamingos in the same way such as nightclubs.
If the flamingo is your spirit animal then it’s very likely that you’re an outgoing and somewhat wild person.
It’s about making a statement that you want the spotlight to be on you even if you’re feeling apprehensive inside because your showy appearance will keep you confident.
Vibrance
It only takes a quick glance at a flamingo to see that these are extremely bright and vibrant creatures so it’s pretty fitting that one of their symbols is indeed vibrance.
Funnily Enough – When they are born, flamingos are much less in your face and actually have gray plumage.
It’s only when they reach adulthood that those vibrant hues make an appearance and this is a result of beta carotene which is a significant part of their diet.
Again, we must look at the relevance of this in regards to the flamingo being a spirit animal.
This means that you should not be afraid to stand out and reach your potential; there’s something in all of us that can make us glow!
Elegance
As well as being one of the most beautiful birds on the planet, flamingos are also incredibly elegant animals and this is another thing that they symbolize.
You will normally see these birds flocking in shallow pools particularly in coastal areas.
But they’re also very adept flyers and have extreme grace and elegance when doing so.
This is a symbol for us to keep in mind that with dedication, we can be just as elegant as these stunning birds.
Balance
It doesn’t take a genius to work out why the flamingo is a symbol of balance.
Just take a look at the way they stand on one leg for long periods of time.
There are a number of reasons that this might be including helping the birds to regulate their body heat as well as ensuring that they don’t use up too much energy.
But when we look at this symbolically, we don’t need to assume that we have to go around standing on one leg all the livelong day.
Instead – Consider finding balance in your life between things like work, friends, family, hobbies, romance and anything else you need to commit to.
Pink Flamingos As A Cultural Symbol
Flamingos are prominent in many places around the world including:
- parts of Asia and the Middle East
- South America
- and Africa
It will not come as a surprise then that these birds have many cultural meanings.
In literature, we see Alice in Wonderland playing with a flamingo in a game of croquet while many paintings have been based around the concept of the beauty of the flamingo.
In many ancient civilizations, the flamingo was often highly respected and in some cases, even sacred.
For Example – In ancient Egypt, people believed that the flamingo had a very close association with the God of the Sun; Ra. This is why you will so often see artefacts from this time decorated with images of these birds.
In ancient Aztec culture, the flamingo was hugely sacred and was often used for tomb decorations.
It is thought that people did this because these images would be pleasing to the Gods.
Moving over to Asia, and the flamingo plays a very significant role in the Hindu religion.
People closely associate this bird with the Hamsa which is a vessel used to transport the gods so it’s not hard to see why the birds are so respected in this culture.
Get Flocked!
Now onto something a little more light hearted.
The most modern association with the flamingo is the ‘Get Flocked’ concept. This involves charities or jokers invading people’s yards with a ton of plastic flamingos.
Normally, invaders would visit during the night when there is less chance of them being spotted and install the flock of flamingos in the yard of the victim.
There would usually be a sign around the neck of one of the flamingos reading ‘you’ve been flocked.’ The sign would also detail why the flamingoes have been placed which is normally for charitable purposes.
In order to have the flock removed, the victim would have to pay a fee but they would then get to choose whose garden the birds visit next.
It’s seen as a fun way to make people smile and raise money for a good cause at the same time.
However, there have been some people who haven’t taken kindly to the invasion and have even been known to remove and discard of the birds.
Conclusion
Flamingos are amazing animals that have one of the most unique appearances of all birds.
But they are much more than just a part of nature and for many thousands of years have been highly respected as one of the most symbolic animals out there.
