Hurricane Idalia Extends Flamingos’ Range to Wisconsin: Unprecedented Migration Phenomenon

• Hurricane Idalia in August flung flamingos to over a dozen states where they don’t usually belong.
• Flamingos have been sighted as far north as Wisconsin and as far west as Texas and Kansas.
• An expert has referred to this phenomenon as a “pink wave.”

The Midwest has become more vibrant with the presence of flamingos.

Last week, residents of Wisconsin were surprised to see groups of flamingos in two different lakes, as reported by a local news outlet WISN.

And they’re not alone. While Wisconsin is the farthest north the flamingos have reached, birdwatchers in Texas, Kansas, and other western states have also observed them. According to USA Today, these birds have been sighted in states across the Midwest and eastern US.

So far, the flamingos have been spotted in 15 different states, including their natural habitat of
Florida.

This phenomenon began when birdwatchers noticed large groups of flamingos descending from the clouds in western Florida towards the end of August, as reported by USA Today.

It was all thanks to Hurricane Idalia. Although hurricanes have transported flamingos from their tropical habitats in the past, this year saw an unusually high number. Jerry Lorenz, the state director of research for Audubon Florida,
informed the outlet last month that the flamingos “came in on the storm, whether they wanted to or not,” and rode the outer rainbands until they reached land.

If you’re a bird enthusiast in one of the affected states hoping to catch a glimpse of a stray flamingo, you better start watching. According to Lorenz, this “pink wave” won’t last much longer, as many flamingos have already begun returning to their southern habitats.