Flamingos are flocking to the Venetian Lagoon in record numbers as ecological efforts restore damaged wetlands. These stately pale pink birds, called “fenicotteri” in Italian, started appearing in the early 2000s. Environmentalists say their arrival signals the lagoon’s health and suitability as a feeding ground. Last year, nearly 24,000 flamingos wintered in Venice, marking a record high. A project to reconstruct salt marshes in the southern lagoon could further boost their numbers. This highlights the importance of the Venetian ecosystem and offers a new ecological perspective for visitors to the city.