Follow WTOP’s Matt Kaufax as he explores hidden gems, local landmarks and unique stories across the D.C. area every week. New episodes of WTOP’s “Matt About Town” segment are released each Tuesday and Thursday.
A National Zoo bird who once wanted to be a human — and even regularly attended staff meetings with her keepers for over a year — is finally spreading her wings.
In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” we’re following up one year later with one of the most beloved feathered friends in the show’s history: Parker the flamingo!
You may remember this story about Parker from June of last year, when WTOP was invited to the National Zoo to meet her. At the time, keepers were worried this shy flamingo might never be able to fully acclimate to the zoo’s flock because of her social anxiety and attachment to her human friends.
That first story on Parker touched many of you on-air and online, who resonated with her struggle to fit in, socialize and find her flock (literally and metaphorically speaking).
But things have changed recently, and in this heartwarming episode, you’ll find out why keepers now have hope for Parker, and her journey into the big grown-up flamingo world! While Parker may finally be taking baby steps to be a proper flamingo at the end of the day, her story is at its core a very human one.
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