Will the Legislature designate the American flamingo as the Florida state bird?

©2023 The News Service of Florida

Move over mockingbird. Here comes the flamingo. Rep. Linda Chaney, R-St. Pete Beach and Rep. Jim Mooney, R-Islamorada, filed a bill (HB 753) this week that would designate the American flamingo as the Florida state bird.

The designation would take the place of the mockingbird, which was approved in 1927, according to the bill.

According to Audubon Florida, “American Flamingos are more numerous in Mexico and Cuba, and Hurricane Idalia likely “captured” single flamingos and small flocks from these regions, blowing them to Florida on strong storm winds.”