Pilligar parties are spawning even though there is not a village near by

The area of my world where I'm spending most of my time is in a spruce forest and I've searched the surrounding area after a pilligar party appeared and there is no village near me.  Only the flag bearer spawns and wanders seeming a bit lost but going after me. As I traveled the surrounding area more pilligar parties would spawn around me, four in about two minutes, and they were full parties not just the flag bearer.

Also, they don't do well when they spawn in water, they just spin pretty fast in the same block of water.