PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — Five flamingos were seen recently on Lake Michigan in Port Washington, Wisconsin.
The American flamingos were seen Friday. It was the first time they have been seen in the history of Wisconsin. Mark Korducki, a member of the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, per The Associated Press.
The flamingos included three adults with pink coloring and two juvenile flamingos were a gray color, according to the AP.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ conservation biologist, Ryan Brady said, according to the AP, that the flamingo sighting was unexpected but not too surprising because flamingos have been showing up in other states like Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
State director of research for Audubon Florida, Jerry Lorenz, believes that the birds were flying between Yucatan and Cuba when Hurricane Idalia changes their pathway, WISN reported.
Flamingos have been showing up in at least 10 states, the American Birding Association’s Facebook page said, according to the news outlet. Around 12 states have reported tropical birds.
“These birds are stressed right now. They just went through a terrible ordeal, no matter how you look at it,” he warned about the flamingos, according to WISN. “So don’t get close enough to startle them to frighten them or anything else, but enjoy their presence.”
Typically flamingos’ range is between Florida and other states in the Gulf Coast like the Caribbean and the northern part of South America, the AP reported.
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