TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Lawmakers have tried for years to christen the flamingo as Florida’s state bird. But a bill that passed the House on Wednesday may finally clear the path for what supporters call a nod to environmental recovery.
Details: State representatives voted almost unanimously to pass H.B. 11, which would make the American flamingo the official state bird and the Florida scrub-jay the state songbird. The mockingbird, which has been Florida’s state bird for 99 years, would lose its current perch under the bill.
“This bill is bigger than two birds. This bill is about the environment,” said state Rep. Jim Mooney (R-Islamorada), who championed the bill and wore pink alongside more than 20 other representatives.
Lawmakers said the bill celebrates the flamingo’s return to Florida, made possible partially through environmental restoration projects in the Florida Everglades. The scrub-jay, which has experienced widespread habitat loss, would symbolize a commitment to save its home, said state Rep. Lindsay Cross (D-St. Petersburg), one of more than a dozen co-sponsors on the bill.
