Jude the flamingo chick’s big reveal at Paradise Park in Hayle

Back in the summer he was a fluffy grey bundle tucked under his mum’s wing. Now Jude is nearly as tall as the adults, and Paradise Park has finally been able to answer the question keepers couldn’t settle at hatching.

Jude is a boy.

The news comes as the park’s Caribbean flamingo flock settles into a brand new winter home at the wildlife attraction in Hayle, which means visitors can keep seeing them right through the colder months.

A new Garden Room for the flock

The flamingos have moved into the new Garden Room aviary, built while the birds were out of public view for six to seven weeks.

Inside there’s an insulated, double-glazed indoor space for colder nights, along with heat lamps. Outside, the birds have a large netted area and a pool.

The set-up also gives the flock an extra level of biosecurity against bird flu.

And if the flamingos decide to stay cosy indoors when you visit, you can still spot them through the Garden Room windows.

How Jude has grown

Jude hatched overnight on 1 July to parents Edwina and Anthony. By the next morning the chick was already peeking out from under its mum’s wing, and within a couple of days it was making its first wobbly attempts to stand, with both parents on hand to help.

The name came from a public poll, with Jude coming out on top when voting closed on 20 July.

By mid-August the beak had started to take on that famous flamingo curve and the first black-edged wing feathers were showing. In September Jude was filtering algae from the lagoon like the grown-ups, with the first hints of pink appearing in the feathers.

The park says he’s grown a lot since September, and the photos back that up. You can follow his story from the very first day on Paradise Park’s flamingo chick diary.

Seeing the flock

Paradise Park is inviting visitors to come and see the flock on their next trip, with more photos of Jude promised soon.

📷Jude the flamingo chick with an adult Caribbean flamingo at Paradise Park. Credit: Paradise Park