Flamingos are commonly known for being found in the tropics. However, many wildlife biologists theorize that after the intense gusts of Hurricane Idalia in late August, these birds were pushed up North. The earliest sighting of this phenomenon with flamingos occurred on September 7th, in Pennsylvania, another was spotted being attacked by a snapping turtle in Pennsylvania on September 11th.

Another major sighting of this phenomenon occurred on September 22nd, 2023 when 5 flamingos were spotted off the coast of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin. Many bird watchers flocked to the spectacle, amazed at what they saw. 

More recently, a single adult flamingo was spotted in Sebewaing, Michigan on October 12th, 2023 by avid duck watchers who were eager to spot any flamingos after hearing of the Wisconsin sightings. These aren’t the only two sightings as flamingos have been spotted all over the Midwest in ponds and flooded farm fields. They’ve also been spotted in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Flamingos were also spotted in Florida for the first time in a century. This is historic because of the fact that flamingos were hunted to near extinction during the early 19th century as flowers became a big fashion trend at the time.

“Why it's happening may be complicated. Most likely due to again a changing climate and the severe weather that is associated with it. This is just one example that climate change is real and that being resilient and adapting to new circumstances will help the species survive,” said environmental science teacher Christine Webster. “Nature is taking care of itself.  Just another indicator of species that are responding to changing conditions of the hurricane.” This highlights the growing issue of climate change in the world even if it's seen as a spectacle by American residents. 

Some students are excited about this, “I think it’s cool, I want to see a flamingo.” said senior, Sophie Lopez. This could have a major impact on the community, as more and more flamingo sightings occur over the coming weeks. It is a time for birdwatchers to be in their prime season, so as this shift occurs, Flamingos could join the mix of birds to watch.