TAMPA, Fla. – For many Floridians, the flamingo feels like an obvious symbol of the Sunshine State. From “Phoebe” the giant flamingo sculpture at Tampa International Airport, to the bird’s presence on countless souvenirs, it’s easy to assume it already holds official status. 

The Northern Mockingbird, however, is currently the state bird. A proposal that’s moving forward in Tallahassee, however, would give that status to the flamingo.

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What we know:

A newly filed bill would designate the American Flamingo as Florida’s official state bird, and lawmakers advanced the proposal through a House subcommittee this week.

Supporters said the flamingo’s unmistakable tropical identity makes it a better representative of Florida.

“It’s an iconic bird in Florida. It always has been,” one lawmaker said during the committee hearing, adding, “You will never see a mockingbird in an airport, you will never see a mockingbird on the lottery ticket.”

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ZooTampa visitors and staff echoed that sentiment. 

“They’re so pretty, they’re cool,” one guest said. Others called them “really tropical” and “super interesting birds.” 

Traci James, ZooTampa’s curator of birds, said, “When you think of a tropical place like Florida with the tropical environment, palm trees, you just naturally think of flamingos.” 

She added that flamingos develop their signature color slowly, explaining, “It takes almost two years to actually start seeing that pink come out in them.”

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The other side:

Despite the enthusiasm, previous efforts to make the flamingo the official state bird never gained traction.

Flamingos are also far from Florida’s most common bird. Recent counts show the state is home to only about 125 flamingos, less than one percent of the global population. Still, that number has grown in recent years, boosted in part by storms that blow the birds off course.

“Because we experience hurricanes in Florida, they tend to actually blow flamingos off course from time to time,” James said. 

By comparison, other birds strongly associated with Florida, such as pelicans and ospreys, have larger populations. Even so, many supporters feel the flamingo stands out in a way other states cannot claim.

“I think it’s a good choice just because the other states don’t necessarily have them,” James said.

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And for some, the decision comes down to identity. 

“It is kind of a cooler state bird than a mockingbird,” zoo visitor Arielle Farber said.

What’s next:

The proposal faces additional committee stops and full debate when the legislative session begins next month. The bill would also designate the Florida scrub jay as the official state songbird. 

The Source: Information for this story came from ZooTampa and the Florida House Natural Resources & Disasters Subcommittee.

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