A lawmaker in Florida has filed a bill to make the flamingo the official state bird.

Newsweek has contacted Florida’s Department of State for comment via email.

Why It Matters

The mockingbird has been Florida’s state bird since 1927, when the state was much more agricultural and less populated on the coasts.

The proposed change highlights the state’s modern identity and the conservation efforts that have facilitated a resurgence of flamingos in Florida following the bird’s near disappearance from the state in the early 20th century.

What To Know

On January 3, Republican lawmaker Jim Mooney filed House Bill 81, proposing to replace the mockingbird with the American flamingo as the official state bird.

The bill would also designate the scrub jay, an endangered species, as the state’s songbird.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission considers the flamingo to be native to Florida, and the bird has cultural ties to the state, as indicated in the 21-foot-tall flamingo statue at Tampa International Airport.

Still, the flamingo could face competition in replacing the mockingbird as a state symbol.

On Monday, Florida State Senator Tina Polsky filed a separate bill that would direct the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to survey young Floridians about which bird they wanted to represent the state.

The survey would include the northern mockingbird, American osprey, Florida scrub jay, American flamingo and American white ibis as selections.

According to the bill, the survey would be conducted in 2025 and 2026 among young people attending Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network summer camps.

The survey results would be turned over to Florida’s House and Senate to determine which bird would receive the designation.

Bills backing the flamingo and the scrub jay have been proposed over the years, but none has passed.

In December, President Joe Biden signed a bill making the bald eagle the national bird of the United States.

What Is the History of the Flamingo in Florida

Flamingos, known for their vibrant pink feathers and long legs, have a notable history in Florida. Large flocks inhabited South Florida and the Keys, with sightings of up to 2,500 birds in the 19th century. However, by the early 20th century, hunting and habitat loss led to their near disappearance from the state.

Following conservation efforts in recent years, Florida has seen a resurgence of flamingos. In 2014, a flock of more 147 flamingos was observed near Lake Okeechobee. This resurgence has reinforced the flamingo’s status as a symbol of Florida, and the bird is frequently featured in the state’s cultural products and merchandise.

What People Are Saying

Hilary Flower, a professor and Everglades researcher, wrote in a Tampa Bay Times op-ed published on Thursday: “The pink flamingo is the face of Florida out in the world. It’s time we welcomed it home.”

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said on its website: “In Florida, American flamingos have been observed along much of the state’s coast; however, outside of Hialeah, more than 95 percent of observations have occurred within the Everglades, Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys. In addition, flamingos are increasingly being reported in the shallow treatment wetlands created along the northern fringe of the Everglades.”

What Happens Next

The bills from Polsky and Mooney have been filed for the legislative session scheduled to begin on March 4. If passed, Mooney’s bill will take effect on July 1, and the flamingo will become Florida’s state bird.

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