Mona Lisa Smile

On a recent trip to the Columbus Zoo, in Ohio, I snapped this image of a flamingo.  I titled it, “Mona Lisa Smile,” because the bird seemed to have a look in the eye and crook in the smile that reminded me of a much more famous work or art.

This is an American Flamingo. These birds were found in southern Florida by early European explorers but their populations declined until they were gone by the early 1900s.  However, in the 1950s they were added as a decorative addition to the Hialeah Park race track in Hialeah, Florida.  The current wild populations of flamingos in southern Florida are believed to be the result of escapees from the race track.

The elements of this photo that I like most are, of course, the vibrant color, the detail in the plumage and the unusual shape and symmetry of the bird and its plumage.

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