A battle over birds: Bills filed to make flamingo the official state bird of Florida

The flamingo's backers argue their bird is widely associated with Florida.

James Call

Capital Bureau | USA TODAY Network – Florida

The flamingo population in Florida collasped in the early 20th century. A proposal now before the Legislature would name it the state bird.

The graceful, long-legged American flamingo will join the yearly battle over bills when the Florida Legislature next meets in January.

The pink-feathered creature entered the ring this week to join the Florida scrub jay in an effort to strip the northern mockingbird of the designation as official bird of the State of Florida.

State Sen. Alexis Calatayud, R-Miami (SB 918), along with state Reps. Jim Mooney, R-Islamorada, and Linda Chaney, R-St. Pete Beach (HB 753), want to crown the flamingo as Florida’s avian ambassador to the world.

The three Republicans join state Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, as those lawmakers intent on ending the mockingbird’s reign, which began in 1927. Polsky's bill (SB 162) nominates the Florida scrub jay to be honored as Florida’s winged symbol.

This is the seventh time in the past 25 years that detractors have tried to dethrone the mockingbird.

School children and environmentalists have pushed for 25 years to have the scrub jay named state bird

The controversial Florida scrub jay:Threatened, politically controversial and possibly the first snowbird

The mockingbird’s critics complain Florida should not have to share a feathered icon with other states. Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas also claim the mockingbird as state bird.

The anti-mockingbird lot points out that both the scrub jay and flamingo are native Floridians.

The flamingo's backers also argue their bird is widely associated with Florida, having been featured, for instance, on merchandise promoting the state since the early 1900s, including the state lottery.

Scrub jay supporters note their candidate is uniquely Floridian, and unlike the flamingo or mockingbird, it never leaves the state. The bird also got more exposure this year when Hurrican Idalia flung flamingos off course leading to sightings around the nation.

Not Floridian and annoying:Lawmaker wants mockingbird ousted as state bird of Florida

Two years ago, when a proposal was filed to strip the mockingbird of its designation, critics said the mockingbird has an annoying habit of singing all night long under a full moon.

The Florida Department of State defends the mockingbird as a year-round resident with a talent for music and an appetite for insects and weed seeds.

None of the bills has yet to be scheduled for a committee hearing. The Florida Legislature's 2024 regular session kicks off Jan. 9.

The Northern mockingbird has reigned as state bird for 96 years despite numerous attempts to dethrone it.

James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com and is on X as @CallTallahassee.