‘Nothing personal against the Mockingbird’: Advocate campaigns to make flamingo Florida’s state bird
By Angela Rozier
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (WPBF) — A South Florida wildlife advocate is campaigning to make the American flamingo Florida’s official state bird, emphasizing its unique connection to the state, conservation success, and economic benefits.
Ron Magill, the Goodwill Ambassador and Conservation Liaison for the Zoo Miami Foundation, is leading the effort to make the change.
“For the last two years, they have tried to introduce a bill to get the flamingo listed as the state bird of Florida,” Magill said. “Right now, the state of Florida is the northern mockingbird. And I’ve got nothing personal against the northern mockingbird. It’s a nice common little bird, but it’s also the state bird of Louisiana, of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas. We shouldn’t be sharing a state bird with anybody.”
Visshaael Patel, the Communications Manager at the Palm Beach Zoo, admits flamingos are a favorite among visitors.
The flamingo, once extricated from Florida in the 1800s due to hunting for its plumes and meat, has made a comeback.
“Florida is the only state in the country that can list the flamingo as a native species,” Patel said. “The fact that flamingos are now staying here, they’re not just flying through and migrating off to the Bahamas and Cuba, Mexico. They’re flamingos that are now staying here. It’s nature telling us we’re doing a good job.”
Zoo visitor Amy Ambrosia wants the American flamingo to be the state bird.
“Well, I think it should be the American Flamingo, right, because when you think of South Florida, you think of flamingos, and even when we had that storm a lot of the flamingos came back so you’re seeing flamingos even in the Everglades now,” Ambrosia said.
Advocates highlighted the flamingo’s economic potential.
“Many people outside of the country automatically think that the flamingo is the state bird of Florida. As a matter of fact, many people within the state of Florida think the flamingo is the state bird of Florida. Think of all the logos, the tourism dollars that could be attracted, all the merchandising that could be done with the flamingo. This is a win-win for the state,” Magill said
The legislative process has faced challenges in previous years.
“Last year, it made it through the House and was voted overwhelmingly, positively, but it just died in the Senate,” Magill said. “This year, I’ve been allowed to advocate, and I am pulling out every stop. I have to speak to every person I can to get schools across the state involved. I’ve gotten major artists, I’ve gotten Dave Barry and Carl Hiaasen, you know, a huge columnist involved. We’re going to try to organize a rally.”
The bill, introduced by Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez, also proposes designating the Florida scrub jay as the state songbird. “The bill says the flamingo’s the state bird and the scrub jay is the state songbird. So, they’re both included in this bill that really recognizes two birds that are only found in Florida as far as the United States goes,” Magill said.
The flamingo’s recognition would also reflect the success of conservation efforts, particularly the Everglades restoration project. “Everglades restoration is the single most expensive restoration project in the history of the world. By recognizing the flamingo, protecting those wetlands, we’re protecting so much more,” Magill said.
The campaign includes outreach through radio, television, and community events. “I just got a brand-new vehicle that’s all wrapped in flamingos, that I’m going to be driving up the state to speak to chambers, to speak to different groups throughout the state, to get them to understand why this is a win-win for the entire state,” Magill said.
He plans to campaign until the legislative session convenes in March.
“This is a win-win. It’s not costing anybody anything. This is not something we’re paying tax dollars for. This is just something recognizing an iconic bird for an iconic state,” Magill said.
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