The Florida House of Representatives passed a bill 112-1 this week to designate the American flamingo as Florida's state bird and the Florida scrub jay as the state's songbird.
The lone 'No' vote was from Rep. Alex Andrade (R-Pensacola).
Under the bill, HB 11, the American flamingo would replace the northern mockingbird as Florida's official state bird. The mockingbird has been the state bird of Florida since 1927.
American flamingos are native to Florida but disappeared 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 at 260,000 to 300,000, but only about 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.
Florida would be the first state to recognize the American flamingo as its state bird. The Scrub Jay is also not designated, but it is endemic to Florida, meaning it is found only here and nowhere else in the United States.
On the other hand, the northern mockingbird is recognized as the official state bird of Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
Reps. Jim Mooney (R-Islamorada) and Chip LaMarca (R-Lighthouse Point) filed HB 11 in the House. Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez (R-Doral) filed an identical bill to HB 11 in the Senate.
That bill, SB 150, still has multiple committee stops left.
This also isn't the first time Florida has tried to change its state bird, with an attempt coming during the 2025 legislative session. That bill felt flat, along with its Senate companion, before reaching the finish line.
Could this year be different?
