TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) - Florida lawmakers haven’t even returned to the Capitol yet, but the first policy bill of the 2026 session is already in.

Representative Jim Mooney , (R) Key Largo, wants to swap out the mockingbird, Florida’s state bird since 1927, with one he says better represents the Sunshine State: the American flamingo.

“It’s palm trees and flamingos,” Mooney said.

Florida already boasts plenty of iconic symbols, from dolphins to oranges to Key lime pie. Mooney argues that flamingos not only match Florida’s tropical image but also highlight a conservation success story.

“These birds are back, and they’re staying because their food sources that were missing for decades are back too,” Mooney said.

At least four other states also claim the m

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