Bill to change Florida’s state bird moves through legislature

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida’s authorities vertebrate could alteration aboriginal this year, arsenic bills marque their mode done the Florida Legislature.

SB 880, filed by State Sen. Ileana Garcia (R) Miami, has cleared a hurdle successful the Senate. It is asking the authorities to designate the American Flamingo arsenic the authoritative authorities bird, replacing it with the Florida scrub-jay.

A akin bill, HB 81, was filed by State Rep. Jim Mooney (R-Islamorada), besides asking lawmakers to see making the scrub-jay the authoritative authorities songbird.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, American flamingos person been observed on overmuch of the state’s coast; however, extracurricular of Hialeah, much than 95% of observations person occurred wrong the Everglades, Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys. In addition, flamingos are progressively being reported successful the shallow attraction wetlands created on the bluish fringe of the Everglades.

The FWC considers flamingos autochthonal to Florida. Flamingos were autochthonal to Florida but disappeared from the authorities astir the crook of the 20th century. After astir 1925, radical started captive colonies of flamingos successful South Florida, including a breeding colony astatine Hialeah Park Race Track successful the 1930s, which inactive remains. A increasing assemblage of grounds implicit the years suggests that astatine slightest immoderate American flamingos successful Florida person arrived connected their ain from extracurricular of the state. The FWC treats flamingos arsenic autochthonal taxon protected nether the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

After Hurricane Idalia successful 2023, the rose-colored birds were spotted successful the Everglades and hanging astir successful the Florida Keys.

If passed, the measure would instrumentality effect connected July 1.

Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.