A bipartisan push to replace Florida’s nearly century-old state bird with the vibrant American flamingo stalled for the second straight year in the Legislature, as companion legislation in the Senate failed to advance beyond an initial committee.
The House passed HB 11 on Feb. 11, 2026, by a resounding 112-1 vote, designating the American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) as the official state bird and the Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) as the state songbird. Sponsored by Rep. Jim Mooney, R-Islamorada, the measure would have superseded the northern mockingbird’s designation, in place since 1927 and shared with Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.
The Senate version, SB 150, sponsored by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Doral, cleared its first committee—the Environment and Natural Resources panel—unanimously late in 2025. However, it never received hearings in the required Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government or the Rules Committee, and died without reaching a full floor vote before the session’s end.
The proposal, which has resurfaced in multiple sessions, aimed to better reflect Florida’s unique ecosystems and cultural icons. Proponents highlighted the flamingo’s return to South Florida habitats, including the Everglades, as a symbol of environmental restoration, and its widespread presence in state imagery, from tourism branding to lottery tickets.
The Florida scrub-jay, an endemic species found in the state’s central scrub habitats, was proposed as songbird to balance regional representation.
The northern mockingbird remains Florida’s official state bird. No immediate plans for revival in future sessions were announced by sponsors or legislative leaders as of March 23, 2026.
The effort drew external attention, including an editorial endorsement from Popular Science supporting the change on grounds of ecological and symbolic relevance. Despite strong House backing and initial Senate committee progress, the measure once again failed to gain sufficient momentum in the upper chamber.
