Were There Really Flamingos on Cape Cod in Massachusetts?

Have you ever seen a flamingo in New England?

You're probably giggling to yourself, because the obvious answer is NO. Flamingos are typically found in Florida and more tropical areas (the key word there was "typically").

For the first time in over 50 years, a flamingo has been spotted wading in the water off of Cape Cod in Dennis, Massachusetts.

I know this all seems so fake. I also did not believe it, but it's true.

This bright pink beauty was on the Cape in June, just a few weeks ago!

Many believe that the rare sighting of the beautiful pink bird on the Cape is the same bird that was spotted on Long Island days prior.

But why? I mean, how is this even possible?

Flamingos are often found only in Florida or warmer, southern areas in the United States.  However, they have been known to disperse during hurricanes or while trying to escape captivity.

And that is likely what happened here. According to an NBC Boston article, a hurricane in September dispersed flamingos all over the United States. These majestic, long-necked-pink birds were spotted in Wisconsin, Ohio, and now Cape Cod.

As crazy as this is, it is not the first time flamingos have been found in New England.

According to a Massachusetts Avian Records Committee article, two flamingos were spotted in the 1960s.

Scientists presumed that those two birds, similar to the one recently found on the Cape, were escapees (from either captivity or natural disasters like hurricanes).