How in the world did flamingos end up in Wisconsin?

Wisconsinites have been experiencing flamingo-fever since the first-ever sighting in the state on Friday in Port Washington.

It's led to growing interest in the flamboyantly colored birds and also a lot of questions about why and how the flamingos found their way up north.

For those interested in learning more, here's what you need to know.

How did the flamingos get to Wisconsin?

While it may not ever be clear how the birds got here, the hypothesis put forth by wildlife biologists is the flamingos were pushed north in late August by the strong winds of Hurricane Idalia.

"Who knows from where," said Ryan Brady, a conservation biologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. "It's pretty hard for five flamingos to go unnoticed."

More:'Make a sandwich, we're going:' Flamingos draw a crowd to Port Washington

Earlier this month, a USA Today report said Hurricane Idalia was being credited with delivering a flamingo-palooza to the Eastern United States. They were spotted in Florida, Alabama, South and North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and Texas.

Is it common for flamingos to come this far north?

No. In fact, a pair of American Flamingos spotted not far from Cincinnati earlier this month were "by a significant margin, the farthest north record of this species in the ABA Area and a 1st record," according to the American Birding Association, which tracks rare bird sightings.

This was the first-ever sighting of flamingos in the Badger State, adding to the list of rare birds seen in the state in 2023.

What kind of flamingos were they?

They are American Flamingos, according to the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology. It appears that three are adults and two are juveniles.

Where are the Wisconsin flamingos now?

According to reports from the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology, flamingos are still in Wisconsin and were last spotted in the Wisconsin River in Adams County on Sunday.

What is a group of flamingos called?

They would be called a "flamboyance." That's not super important to know, but it sure is fun to say, "I saw a flamboyance of flamingos in Wisconsin."

More:Flamingos in Wisconsin? We've seen some other unusual animals, too

Paul A. Smith contributed to this report.

Drew Dawson can be reached at ddawson@jrn.com or 262-289-1324.