Why flamingos are being spotted all over the country – in places they wouldn’t normally be
ELIGIBILITY: YOU MAY CALL HER. RECENTLY FLAMINGOS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FROM GEORGIA TO KENTUCKY AND EVEN RIGHT HERE IN OHIO. Apparently they are not native to this area, but experts believe it may have been the hurricane that caused them to fly further north than usual. WLWT ADAM BURNISTON IS AT CAESAR’S CREEK WHERE THE TWO WERE RECENTLY SEEN. While it may not be due to the white sandy beaches and clear waters of the Caribbean, spectators here at Caesar Creek Park in Warren County were treated to a very special show when two flamingos appeared right here on the beach for George Keller to take nature photos around Caesar’s Creek There wasn’t much of a surprise, but last Friday it wasn’t normal when he spotted the two flamingos. WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE? That was the first satellite. WHAT’S UP? But once they were discovered, Keller did what he does best and documented what more he could learn. As the helicopter flew by, I took aerial footage to show that they had no leg bands on them and that they were not in captivity. AND IF YOU HAVE LEG BANDS AND WHAT PROJECT WERE YOU PART OF? WHERE DID YOU COME FROM? THAT WOULD HAVE TOLD EVERYTHING THERE? According to Corey Christopher of the CINCINNATI NATURE CENTER, although flamingos are no longer native to the United States, groups recently seen across the country likely spread from parts of Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula due to Hurricane IDALIA. YOU REALLY MUST BE IN THE CARIBBEAN. Um, but the fact that there are four or five different groups of them makes me wonder if it was a single flock that was just trying to get across the water and got blown into the Midwest. But even though they are so far away from home, Christopher doesn’t believe they are in danger and will easily find their way home. It wouldn’t surprise me if we didn’t see more reports of flamingos further south, as these birds, having been driven north, are now returning home. Now, while there are plenty of other birds and wildlife here at Caesar’s Creek, these two haven’t been seen recently. FLAMINGO HAS BEEN WALKING SINCE THE DAY YOU WERE HERE ON THE BEACH. So the expectation is that they will travel back south to warmer waters and hopefully better weather for them at Caesar’s Creek as well. METEOROLOGIST ADAM BURNISTON WLWT NEWS FIVE. Well, if you come across flamingos, experts say: keep your distance. Try not to feed them. THEY GO BACK SOUTH EVEN
Why flamingos are being spotted all over the country – in places they wouldn’t normally be
Last Friday, residents flocked to Caesar Creek State Park’s public beach to catch a rare glimpse of wild American flamingos
Updated: September 9, 2023, 10:14 a.m. EDT
On Friday, September 1, several residents flocked to Caesar Creek State Park to catch a glimpse of a rare sight. Two American flamingos had flown onto the public beach and remained there most of the day as onlookers snapped photos of the pair, which are rarely seen outside of zoos. Despite their name, the American flamingo is not native to the United States, but typically comes from areas of the Caribbean and the South. Despite their rarity, photographers and others who had the opportunity to see the flamingo pair on the public beach were amazed. A local wildlife photographer said he happened to be there the morning they arrived to capture other wildlife, but instead got a surprise: “What are they doing here? That was the first thought: “What’s going on?” said George Keller. Keller explained that while it was quite a surprise, his photographic instincts kicked in and he knew he had to capture this rare location. He initially said he was taking photos to make sure they were comfortable with him in the area, but after a while he took photos to learn more about their origins. “As the helicopter flew by, I could see aerial footage showing that they had no leg bindings, so they were not trapped. If they had leg ties, then what project were they part of or were they from that would have given everything away there?” Keller said. Ohio wasn’t the only state to experience this rare arrival either. So far, states like Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky and others have seen flamingos arrive near lakes in their areas. While experts say it’s difficult to determine exactly what caused this migration of a relatively non-migratory bird, many point to the recent Hurricane Idalia, which began off the coast of Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula. They believe groups of flamingos may have been flying between countries over the Gulf when the storm knocked them off course. “They’re supposed to be in the Caribbean, but the fact that there are four to five other groups of them makes me wonder if it was a single flock just trying to get across the water and blown into the Midwest said Cory Christopher, director of conservation at the Cincinnati Nature Center. Despite being so far from home, Christopher believes there is no reason to worry about their safety and health. He said most birds can actually use the sun, moon and stars and even sense the Earth’s magnetic field to determine where they are and where they need to go. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more reports of flamingos further south, as the birds that have been pushed north are now returning home,” Christopher said. There have been no additional animals in the area since last Friday’s sightings at Caesar Creek State Park. While it is thought that this pair of flamingos is likely heading back south, experts say if you see one near you, keep your distance and never feed or touch them. If you have concerns about their health or safety, it is best to contact your local or state wildlife agency.
On Friday, September 1, several residents flocked to Caesar Creek State Park to catch a glimpse of a rare sight. Two American flamingos had flown onto the public beach and remained there most of the day as onlookers snapped photos of the pair, which are rarely seen outside of zoos. Despite their name, the American flamingo is not native to the United States, but typically comes from areas of the Caribbean and the South.
Despite their rarity, photographers and others who had the opportunity to see the flamingo pair on the public beach were amazed. A local wildlife photographer said he happened to be there the morning they arrived to capture other wildlife, but instead got a surprise.
“What are you doing here? That was the first thought, “What’s going on?” said George Keller.
Keller explained that while it was quite a surprise, his photographic instincts kicked in and he knew he had to capture this rare location. He initially said he was taking photos to make sure they felt comfortable in the area with him, but after some time he took photos to learn more about their origins.
“As the helicopter flew by, I took aerial footage that showed they had no leg bindings, so they weren’t trapped. If they had leg ties, would you then have been able to tell which project they belonged to or what project they were from. “Everything there?” said Keller.
Ohio wasn’t the only state to experience this rare arrival either. So far, states like Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky and others have seen flamingos arrive near lakes in their areas. While experts say it’s difficult to determine exactly what caused this migration of a relatively non-migratory bird, many point to the recent Hurricane Idalia, which began off the coast of Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula. They believe groups of flamingos may have been flying between countries over the Gulf when the storm knocked them off course.
“They were supposed to be in the Caribbean, but given that there are four to five other groups of them, I wonder if it was a single flock just trying to get across the water and into the Middle was blowing west,” said Cory Christopher, director of conservation at the Cincinnati Nature Center.
Despite being so far from home, Christopher believes there is no reason to worry about their safety and health. He said most birds can actually use the sun, moon and stars and even sense the Earth’s magnetic field to determine where they are and where they need to go.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more reports of flamingos further south, as the birds that have been pushed north are now returning home,” Christopher said.
There have been no additional animals in the area since last Friday’s sightings at Caesar Creek State Park. While it is thought that this pair of flamingos is likely heading back south, experts say if you see one near you, keep your distance and never feed or touch them. If you have concerns about their health or safety, it is best to contact your local or state wildlife agency.
