Below is a list of U.S. state birds as designated by each state's, district's or territory's government.
The selection of state birds began with Kentucky adopting the northern cardinal in 1926. It continued when the legislatures for Alabama, Florida, Maine, Missouri, Oregon, Texas and Wyoming selected their state birds after a campaign was started by the General Federation of Women's Clubs to name official state birds in the 1920s.[1][2] The last state to choose its bird was Arizona in 1973.
Pennsylvania never chose an official state bird, but did choose the ruffed grouse as the state game bird.[3] Alaska, California, and South Dakota permit hunting of their state birds. Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee have designated an additional "state game bird" for the purpose of hunting. The northern cardinal is the state bird of seven states, followed by the western meadowlark as the state bird of six states.
The District of Columbia designated a district bird in 1938.[4] Of the five inhabited territories of the United States, American Samoa and Puerto Rico are the only ones without territorial birds.
State birds
editState, district, or territory |
Bird | Scientific name | Picture | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Yellowhammer (northern flicker) | Colaptes auratus | 1927[5] | |
Alaska | Willow ptarmigan | Lagopus lagopus | 1955[6] | |
American Samoa | None, although the bald eagle displays on the flag. | — | — | — |
Arizona | Cactus wren | Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus |
1931[7] | |
Arkansas | Northern mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | 1929[8] | |
California | California quail | Callipepla californica | 1931[9] | |
Colorado | Lark bunting | Calamospiza melanocorys | 1931[10] | |
Connecticut | American robin | Turdus migratorius | 1943[11] | |
Delaware | Blue Hen Chicken | Gallus gallus | 1939[12] | |
District of Columbia | Wood thrush | Hylocichla mustelina | 1938[4] | |
Florida | Northern mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | 1927[13] | |
Georgia | Brown thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | 1928[14] | |
Guam | Guam rail (ko'ko') | Gallirallus owstoni | 2000[15] | |
Hawaii | Nene | Branta sandvicensis | 1957[16] | |
Idaho | Mountain bluebird | Sialia currucoides | 1931[17] | |
Illinois | Northern cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | 1929[18] | |
Indiana | Northern cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | 1933[19] | |
Iowa | Eastern goldfinch (American goldfinch) | Spinus tristis tristis | 1933[20] | |
Kansas | Western meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | 1933[21] | |
Kentucky | Northern cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | 1926[22] | |
Louisiana | Eastern brown pelican | Pelecanus occidentalis | 1966[23] | |
Maine | Chickadee | Poecile, species not specified (de facto Poecile atricapillus)[24] |
1927[25] | |
Maryland | Baltimore oriole | Icterus galbula | 1947[26] | |
Massachusetts | Black-capped chickadee | Poecile atricapilla | 1941[27] | |
Michigan | American robin | Turdus migratorius | 1931[28] | |
Minnesota | Common loon | Gavia immer | 1961[29] | |
Mississippi | Northern mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | 1944[30] | |
Missouri | Eastern bluebird | Sialia sialis | 1927[31] | |
Montana | Western meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | 1941[32] | |
Nebraska | Western meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | 1929[33] | |
Nevada | Mountain bluebird | Sialia currucoides | 1967[34] | |
New Hampshire | Purple finch | Carpodacus purpureus | 1957[35] | |
New Jersey | Eastern goldfinch (American goldfinch) | Spinus tristis tristis | 1935[36] | |
New Mexico | Greater roadrunner | Geococcyx californianus | 1949[37] | |
New York | Eastern bluebird | Sialia sialis | 1970[38] | |
North Carolina | Northern cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | 1943[39] | |
North Dakota | Western meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | 1970[40] | |
Northern Mariana Islands | Mariana fruit-dove | Ptilinopus roseicapilla | ? | |
Ohio | Northern cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | 1933[41] | |
Oklahoma | Scissor-tailed flycatcher | Tyrannus forficatus | 1951[42] | |
Oregon | Western meadowlark (state songbird)[a] |
Sturnella neglecta | 1927[44] 2017[45] | |
Pennsylvania | Ruffed grouse[b] | Bonasa umbellus | 1931 | |
Puerto Rico | Puerto Rican spindalis (de facto) | Spindalis portoricensis | —[47][48] | |
Rhode Island | Rhode Island Red | Gallus gallus | 1954[49] | |
South Carolina | Carolina wren | Thryothorus ludovicianus | 1948[50] | |
South Dakota | Ring-necked pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | 1943[51] | |
Tennessee | Northern mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | 1933[52] | |
Texas | Northern mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | 1927[53] | |
Utah | California gull | Larus californicus | 1955[54] | |
Vermont | Hermit thrush | Catharus guttatus | 1941[55] | |
Virgin Islands | Bananaquit | Coereba flaveola | 1970 | |
Virginia | Northern cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | 1950[56] | |
Washington | Willow goldfinch (American goldfinch) | Spinus tristis salicamans | 1951[57] | |
West Virginia | Northern cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | 1949[58] | |
Wisconsin | American robin | Turdus migratorius | 1949[59] | |
Wyoming | Western meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | 1927[60] |
Notes
edit- ^ The western meadowlark was proclaimed the state bird by Governor I. L. Patterson in 1927. However, the Legislative Assembly never adopted it as official state bird of Oregon. In 2017, the western meadowlark was made the official state songbird and the osprey was made the official state raptor.[43]
- ^ The ruffed grouse was named the "state game bird" in 1931 Act 234.[46]
Other state birds
editIn addition to having a state bird, some states have chosen a state game bird (or state wild game bird), a state waterfowl (or state duck), a state raptor, or a bird as their state symbol of peace.
State | State bird | Scientific name | Photography | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Wild turkey (state game bird) |
Meleagris gallopavo | 1980[61] | |
Georgia | Bobwhite quail (state game bird) |
Colinus virginianus | 1970[62] | |
Idaho | Peregrine falcon (state raptor) |
Falco peregrinus | 2004[63] | |
Massachusetts | Wild turkey (state game bird) |
Meleagris gallopavo | 1991[64] | |
Mississippi | Wood duck (state waterfowl) |
Aix sponsa | 1974[65] | |
Missouri | Bobwhite quail (state game bird) |
Colinus virginianus | 2007[66] | |
New Hampshire | Red-tailed hawk (state raptor) |
Buteo jamaicensis | 2019[67] | |
Oklahoma | Wild turkey (state game bird) |
Meleagris gallopavo | 1990[68] | |
Oregon | Osprey (state raptor) |
Pandion haliaetus | 2017[69] | |
Pennsylvania | Ruffed grouse (state game bird) |
Bonasa umbellus | 1931[3] | |
South Carolina | Northern mockingbird (former state bird) |
Mimus polyglottos | 1939 – 1948[50] | |
Wild turkey (state wild game bird) |
Meleagris gallopavo | 1976[70] | ||
Wood duck (state duck) |
Aix sponsa | 2009[71] | ||
Tennessee | Bobwhite quail (state wild game bird) |
Colinus virginianus | 1987[72] | |
Wisconsin | Eastern mourning dove (state symbol of peace) |
Zenaida macroura carolinensis | 1971[73] |
States with the same state bird
editSome state birds are shared between multiple states. Of the 50 states, a total of 32 do not have a unique state bird.
Bird | # of states |
---|---|
Northern cardinal | 7 |
Western meadowlark | 6 |
Northern mockingbird | 5[a] |
Wild turkey (state game bird or wild game bird) |
4 |
American robin | 3 |
Bobwhite quail (state game bird or wild game bird) |
3 |
American goldfinch | 3[b] |
Chickadee | 2[c] |
Chicken | 2[d] |
Eastern bluebird | 2 |
Mountain bluebird | 2 |
Wood duck (state waterfowl or duck) |
2 |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ and formerly South Carolina
- ^ 2 as "eastern goldfinch", 1 as "willow goldfinch"
- ^ 1 as "black-capped chickadee", 1 as "chickadee"
- ^ 1 as "Rhode Island Red", 1 as "Delaware Blue Hen"
References
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- ^ "GFWC Federation Facts". General Federation of Women's Clubs. Archived from the original on 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
- ^ a b "1931 Act 234", Unconsolidated Statutes, Pennsylvania General Assembly, archived from the original on 2020-08-03, retrieved 2020-06-02
- ^ a b "District of Columbia State Bird". District of Columbia State Symbols. 50 States. Archived from the original on 2012-05-01. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
- ^ "Alabama State Bird". Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors. Alabama Department of Archives and History. 2006-04-27. Archived from the original on 2018-12-24. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
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- ^ "Public Laws 25th". Designation of "KO'KO" as the official Bird of Guam. Guam Legislature. Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
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- ^ The problem with naming 'the chickadee' as Maine's state bird Archived 2019-03-07 at the Wayback Machine Bangor Daily News. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
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{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "State Raptor, New Hampshire Almanac". State of New Hampshire. Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
- ^ "Oklahoma State Game Bird". Official State Game Birds. NSTATE, LLC. Archived from the original on 2017-05-25. Retrieved 2016-12-14.
- ^ "Oregon Almanac: Abbreviation to Crustacean". Oregon Blue Book. Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 25, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
- ^ "SC Statehouse Student's web page, State Symbols and Emblems, State Wild Game Bird". South Carolina General Assembly. Archived from the original on 2007-07-06. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
- ^ "South Carolina State Duck". Official State Ducks. NSTATE, LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-08-03. Retrieved 2020-04-24.
- ^ "Tennessee State Symbols". Tennessee State General Assembly. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09.
- ^ "Wisconsin Historical Society". Wisconsin State Symbols. Wisconsin Historical Society. 23 May 2012. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2020.