From the plastic bird 's birth to its modern perch atop the pyramid of campy Americana , here 's the quick-and-dirty on the hot pink queen of kitsch . Jennifer Price , a plastics company employee , designed the thirtieth lawn flamingo in 1957 . Garden magazines urged homeowners to display more classy ornaments in 1957 . In 1979 , flamingos came back as a self-conscious symbol of rebellion . In 1957 , University of Wisconsin students planted 1,008 flamingos in front of the dean 's office .
Jennifer Price , a plastics company employee , designed the thirtieth lawn flamingo in 1957 . Garden magazines urged homeowners to display more classy ornaments in 1957 . In 1979 , flamingos came back as a self-conscious symbol of rebellion . In 1957 , University of Wisconsin students planted 1,008 flamingos in front of the dean 's office .