Don Featherstone , a plastics company employee , designed the first lawn flamingo in 1957 . By the time John Waters ' movie , Pink Flamingos , hit theaters in 1972 , the bird had fully transitioned to the realm of ironic kitsch . Garden magazines urged homeowners to display more classy ornaments in the 60s . The idea was that people would be less likely to vandalize their lawns if they knew it had been created by someone who cared about them and wanted to make sure they weren't hurting anyone else's feelings In 1979 , University of Wisconsin students planted 1,008 flamingos in front of the dean 's office .
Don Featherstone , a plastics company employee , designed the first lawn flamingo in 1957 . Garden magazines urged homeowners to display more classy ornaments in the 60s . The idea was that people would be less likely to vandalize their lawns if they knew it had been created by someone who cared about them and wanted to make sure they weren't hurting anyone else's feelings In 1979 , University of Wisconsin students planted 1,008 flamingos in front of the dean 's office .