Florida bill would make flamingo official state bird

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- Florida lawmakers will once again consider changing the official state bird in the upcoming legislative session.

Senate Bill 150, filed by Republican Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez earlier this month, proposes to make the American flamingo the state bird and the Florida scrub-jay the state songbird.

The current state bird is the northern mockingbird, which received the designation nearly 100 years ago in 1927. It is also the state bird of Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.

Lawmakers have unsuccessfully proposed a change in past sessions, but the bills failed to take flight.

The flamingo has become an iconic symbol of Florida, with official state agencies like the Florida Lottery adopting their imagery. The colorful birds have been spotted across the state follo