What are American flamingos and why were they in Wisconsin along Port Washington's Lake Michigan shoreline?

On the final day of summer, five flamingos took a dip in Lake Michigan at South Beach Park in Port Washington.

Wait, did we say, flamingos? Yes, there were wild flamingos in Wisconsin. But how did the flamingos get to Port Washington and how rare is it to find flamingos in Wisconsin?

Here's what we know about the flamingos spotted here today.

Where is Port Washington?

Port Washington is located on Lake Michigan's western shore in eastern Wisconsin, about 25 miles north of Milwaukee.

The city is the second-largest community in Ozaukee County.

What kind of flamingos were seen in Port Washington?

The five flamingos spotted Friday in Port Washington were American flamingos, three adults and two juveniles, according to the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology. The organization said the wild flamingo sighting in Wisconsin was the first in state history.

What is the American flamingo?

They are on the larger size for flamingos. An average adult American flamingo is 5 feet tall and weighs 4 to 8 pounds, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.

Their primary home is not Wisconsin. It's the Caribbean Islands and along the northern coast of South America. That's why their nickname is the Caribbean flamingo.

Their main habitat is in brackish water and saltwater environments.

Why are there flamingos in Port Washington, Wisconsin?

So what brings the flamingos to Wisconsin other than to enjoy southeast Wisconsin's nice weather on Friday?

It's not clear how they made here, but earlier this month, a USA Today report said Hurricane Idalia was being credited with leading flamingos to the eastern United States. They were spotted in Florida, Alabama, South and North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and Texas.

And it's not out of the ordinary for birds to go off course.

The flamingo spotting comes just two months after another rare bird for these parts made its way to the Badger State.

Roseate spoonbills landed on the shores of Green Bay, leading to many curious bird watchers over several days in northeastern Wisconsin. It was the first time a living roseate spoonbill has been spotted in Wisconsin. They are one of six spoonbill species in the world and the only one found in the Americas, but most common in southern U.S. and Central and South America.

More:Smith: For Wisconsin birders, 2023 has been a year of ‘celebrity’ sightings

How many kinds of flamingo species are there?

There are six species of flamingo.

In addition to the American flamingo, there is the:

• Andean flamingo, found in the Andes mountains of South America;
• Chilean flamingo, found in South America;
• Greater flamingo, found in many parts of the world, including northern Africa, portions of sub-Saharan Africa, southern Asia, the Middle East and southern Europe;
• James's flamingo, found in the Andean plateaus of Peru, Chile, Bolivia and northwest Argentina;
• Lesser flamingo, found in sub-Saharan Africa and western India.

Why are American flamingos pink?

They are pink from their diet.

In fact, they are born with gray feathers. The American flamingos eat seeds and aquatic invertebrates like brine, fly larvae, shrimp and mollusks, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute notes.

Its body then metabolizes the pigment of the algae and brine shrimp, causing its feathers to turn pink.

How many American flamingos are there in the world?

The American flamingo is the only one that inhabits North American and there are around 260,000 to 330,000 in the world, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List.

The conservation status for the American flamingo is of least concern, the IUCN indicates.

While the numbers of this species are increasing, human disturbance and habitat loss along the Caribbean’s coastal wetlands are of concern long term.