Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Birdwatchers in states including Ohio, Kentucky, Texas and Florida have noticed some unusual visitors as a result of Hurricane Idalia -- flamingos.
The flamingos have been seen as far north as Ceasar Creek State Park, near Dayton, Ohio, after apparently getting blown off-course by Hurricane Idalia while flying between Cuba and the Yucatan.
The birds have also been spotted in Kentucky, Texas, the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia and Florida.
Flamingos are native to Florida, but the birds were hunted to near extinction in the early 1900s. The flamingos sometimes spotted in the wild in Florida today are believed to be descendants of escapees from small zoos and other attractions.
Jerry Lorenz, the state director of research for Audubon Florida, said the current amount of flamingos in the United States exceeds any other recent reports.
"We have never seen anything like this," Lorenz told CNN. "We will get a flamingo or two following storms [but] this is really unprecedented."
He said the birds in Ohio and other northern states will likely head home once temperatures cool. He urged admirers to give them a wide berth.
"These birds are stressed right now. They just went through a terrible ordeal no matter how you look at it," he said. "So don't get close enough to startle them to frighten them or anything else, but enjoy their presence."
ColumbusMark on September 11st, 2023 at 18:49 UTC »
No…according to Tony Montana, those are pelicans.
“Fly, pelican, fly! C’mon pelican!!”