Phoebe the Flamingo

Picture this: You’ve just arrived at Tampa International Airport. You exit your plane and see a 21-foot-tall hot pink flamingo peeking her head beneath a glittering surface, right in the main terminal. Your eyes don’t deceive you: That’s Phoebe, the airport’s most beloved “resident.” 

Created by award-winning artist Matthew Mazzotta and installed in 2022, the arresting work of art is officially called “HOME,” so named to remind travelers of the host of wildlife—including vibrant flamingos—that call Florida home. Mazzotta used silvery mirrored ceiling tiles and special effect LED projectors to create the sensation of being beneath gently undulating waves. The friendly, hot-pink flamingo stands on two spindly legs and seemingly searches the floor for a snack with her pink-and-black beak. 

Deciding on her name was a group effort. Over 65,000 people submitted naming ideas, and 37,000 votes from around the world were cast to choose the moniker Phoebe. A retired teacher suggested the name as “a play on Phoenicopterus—the flamingo’s scientific name. ‘Phoebe’ is also a playful alliterative to flamingo and means brilliantly inquisitive,” according to the entry.  

More than 65,000 passengers, on average, pass through the airport each day, and many of them stop with a selfie with Phoebe. A year after the massive bird sculpture was installed, the airport celebrated with birthday cake, flamenco dancers from Tampa’s Columbia Restaurant and live flamingos from nearby Busch Gardens.