The plastic flamingo is the official bird of which U.S. capital city?

In the fall of 1979, Madison, Wisconsin was the site of the largest known collection of plastic flamingos in recorded history. On September 4, University of Wisconsin students and staff, made their way to class only to see that more than 1,000 plastic flamingos had appeared on Bascom Hill in the wee hours of the morning. A prank had been pulled and a legend born.

The flamingo prank lasted one morning, but the impact lives on. University of Wisconsin Foundation and Wisconsin Alumni Association recreates the scene on Bascom Hill every year as a fundraiser. This prank turned tradition became so popular that in 2015, the Madison Common Council declared the plastic flamingo the official bird of the city of Madison. In 2018, the Forward Madison professional soccer club unveiled the bird as their official logo, and their fan club adopted the name of "The Flock."

Students, residents and visitors can witness Fill the Hill each October, when 1,008 plastic flamingos again cover Bascom Hill. The original pranksters set their sights on having 1,000 flamingos, but they could only order them by the dozen. So, they ordered 84 dozen. Visitors can find reminders of Madison's passion for plastic flamingos in places ranging from restaurants to gift shops. They can even see living flamingos at the Henry Vilas Zoo.