Florida Lawmakers Push to Make Flamingo Official State Bird After Five Years of Attempts

For the fifth year in a row, Florida lawmakers are back at it, trying to swap out the state bird. The mockingbird’s held the title for almost a century, but now there’s a real push to give the flamingo its moment. And this year, the campaign actually has some legs.

Republican Rep. Jim Mooney and several others are leading the charge. The idea? Make the flamingo Florida’s official state bird. It’s already cleared two House committees and one in the Senate, which is further than it’s ever gotten before. Both chambers are looking at matching bills, so the momentum is real.

Right now, the mockingbird sits on Florida’s throne, but it’s hardly unique—five other states claim it too. Flamingo supporters say their bird stands out. It doesn’t just look the part; it’s woven into Florida’s history, its landscape, and, honestly, its overall vibe. Flamingos are turning up more often, especially as restoration work in places like the Everglades pays off.

If you visit Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, you’ll find 19 Chilean flamingos strutting around. Katie Sheppard, one of the animal care specialists there, sees them as pure Florida. “The flamingo is very iconic for Florida,” she points out. “They’ve always been part of the story here. Why not make it official?”

Oddly enough, flamingos weren’t always a given in Florida. Back in the early 1900s, hunting and shrinking habitats nearly wiped them out. Their comeback started in the 1930s, with places like Hialeah Park bringing in flocks to draw crowds. “Ever since then, it just blew up,” Sheppard explains. The flamingo took off as a symbol, thanks in part to tourism and marketing.

Lawmakers backing the change say there’s more to it than just image. The flamingo’s return marks real progress for Florida’s ecosystems—from the Everglades to the Indian River Lagoon. At a recent hearing, Rep. Mooney put it simply: “You walk through the halls, flamingos are everywhere.”

Still, the mockingbird has its fans. It’s been around for nearly 100 years and even found new life on social media, popping up in memes and videos. But for Sheppard, the flamingos she cares for every day sum up the state’s spirit. “You’ll see them head-wagging and pecking at each other. That’s just how they are—it’s all part of their social world.”

The House Natural Resources and Disaster Subcommittee has already given the proposal the green light. Next stop: the State Affairs Committee. Lawmakers aren’t expected to make a final decision until the 2026 legislative session, so the debate’s not over yet.