what is the florida state bird

The state bird of Florida is the northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos). It has held this title since 1927. The northern mockingbird is known for its superb singing ability, including mimicking the calls of other birds and even mechanical sounds like car alarms. The bird is about ten inches long with a wingspan of around fifteen inches, featuring grayish upper parts and white undersides and patches on its tail and wings. The mockingbird is a year-round resident of Florida and is noted for its fierce defense of its nest. Though there have been legislative efforts and discussions about possibly changing the state bird to other native birds like the Florida scrub jay or the American flamingo, the northern mockingbird remains the official state bird as of now. It is also the state bird for four other states, including Texas and Arkansas.