TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. (REUTERS) — From vibrant yard art to paintings and sculptures, the iconic flamingo graces everything in Florida, even lottery tickets.
Yet, doubts lingered about whether this elegant bird ever truly called the state home. This week, amid the swirling winds of Hurricane Idalia, the flamingos were blown off course, leading to the birds making a surprise appearance along Florida's west coast.
A local resident caught a flamboyance of flamingos, the term used for a group of flamingos, enjoying a beach on Treasure Island Thursday (August 31).
Some believe they hail from the Yucatan; one thing is certain: these pink-and-gray wanderers arrived with the storm. Florida's love affair with flamingos runs deep, with plastic yard art leading the way since its debut in 1957.
(Production: Mara Paula Laguna, Scott Dill)
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