Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez (R-Doral) filed a bill this week in the legislature to make the American flamingo the official state bird and designate the Florida scrub-jay as the official state songbird.
Under SB 150, the American flamingo would replace the northern mockingbird as the official state bird of Florida. The mockingbird has been the state bird of Florida since 1927.
American flamingos are native to Florida, but vanished around the 20th century. After 1925, captive flamingo colonies began to appear in South Florida, including a breeding colony at Hialeah Park Race Track in the 1930s.
Although found in Florida, American flamingos are more commonly located throughout the Caribbean, including Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas.
Overall, the American flamingo population is estimated to be between 260,000 and 300,000, but only around 1% are found right here in Florida.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), 95% of American Flamingo sightings have occurred within the Everglades, Biscayne Bay, and the Florida Keys.
That means seeing one in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, or Tallahassee in the wild might be difficult.
And while popular for its pink and red color, the American flamingo is not recognized by any state in the country as their official state bird. The Scrub Jay is also not designated, but it is endemic to Florida, meaning it is only found here and not anywhere else in the United States.
So why change the northern mockingbird?
After all, it is also recognized by four other states, Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, and Mississippi, as their official state bird.
If this legislation sounds familiar, a similar one was filed during the 2025 legislative session. Both that bill and its House companion died in committees before making it to the finish line.
Reps. Jim Mooney (R-Islamorada) and Chip LaMarca (R-Lighthouse Point) filed an identical bill, HB 11, to Rodriguez's last month. Both representatives also sponsored the bill that died last session.
If passed, SB 150/HB 11 would take effect on July 1, 2026.
