List of U.S. state birds

Last updated

Below is a list of U.S. state birds as designated by each state's, district's or territory's government.

Contents

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. [3]

Pennsylvania never chose an official state bird, but did choose the ruffed grouse as the state game bird. 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

State,
district,
or territory
Bird Scientific name PictureYear
Alabama Yellowhammer (northern flicker)Colaptes auratus Northern Flicker.jpg 1927 [5]
Alaska Willow ptarmigan Lagopus lagopus Denali National Park Ptarmigan.jpg 1955 [6]
American Samoa None
(See List of birds of American Samoa)
Arizona Cactus wren Campylorhynchus
brunneicapillus
Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus 20061226.jpg 1973 [7]
Arkansas Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Mimus polyglottos adult 02 cropped.jpg 1929 [8]
California California quail Callipepla californica California quail.jpg 1931 [9]
Colorado Lark bunting Calamospiza melanocorys Lark Bunting (male) Pawnee National Grasslands CO 2018-06-06 17-03-26 (40841912423).jpg 1931 [10]
Connecticut American robin Turdus migratorius Turdus-migratorius-002.jpg 1943 [11]
Delaware Delaware Blue Hen Gallus gallus1939 [12]
District of Columbia Wood thrush Hylocichla mustelina Hylocichla mustelina (cropped).jpg 1938 [4]
Florida Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Mimus polyglottos adult 02 cropped.jpg 1927 [13]
Georgia Brown thrasher Toxostoma rufum Brown Thrasher-27527-2.jpg 1928 [14]
Guam Guam rail (ko'ko')Gallirallus owstoni GuamRail02.jpg 2000 [15]
Hawaii Hawaiian goose (nēnē)Branta sandvicensis Branta sandvicensis -WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England-8a.jpg 1957 [16]
Idaho Mountain bluebird Sialia currucoides Mountain Bluebird.jpg 1931 [17]
Illinois Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Cardinal.jpg 1929 [18]
Indiana Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Cardinal.jpg 1933 [19]
Iowa Eastern goldfinch (American goldfinch)Spinus tristis Carduelis-tristis-002.jpg 1933 [20]
Kansas Western meadowlark Sturnella neglecta WesternMeadowlark23.jpg 1933 [21]
Kentucky Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Cardinal.jpg 1926 [22]
Louisiana Brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Brown pelican - natures pics.jpg 1966 [23]
Maine Chickadee Poecile atricapillus Poecile-atricapilla-001.jpg 1927 [24]
Maryland Baltimore oriole Icterus galbula Icterus-galbula-002.jpg 1947 [25]
Massachusetts Black-capped chickadee Poecile atricapilla Poecile-atricapilla-001.jpg 1941 [26]
Michigan American robin Turdus migratorius Turdus-migratorius-002.jpg 1931 [27]
Minnesota Common loon Gavia immer Common Loon head sideways.jpg 1961 [28]
Mississippi Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Mimus polyglottos adult 02 cropped.jpg 1944 [29]
Missouri Eastern bluebird Sialia sialis EasternbluebirdB9.jpg 1927 [30]
Montana Western meadowlark Sturnella neglecta WesternMeadowlark23.jpg 1941 [31]
Nebraska Western meadowlark Sturnella neglecta WesternMeadowlark23.jpg 1929 [32]
Nevada Mountain bluebird Sialia currucoides Mountain Bluebird.jpg 1967 [33]
New Hampshire Purple finch Carpodacus purpureus Purple Finch.jpg 1957 [34]
New Jersey Eastern goldfinch (American goldfinch)Spinus tristis Carduelis-tristis-002.jpg 1935 [35]
New Mexico Greater roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Geococcyx californianus.jpg 1949 [36]
New York Eastern bluebird Sialia sialis EasternbluebirdB9.jpg 1970 [37]
North Carolina Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Cardinal.jpg 1943 [38]
North Dakota Western meadowlark Sturnella neglecta WesternMeadowlark23.jpg 1970 [39]
Northern Mariana Islands Mariana fruit-dove Ptilinopus roseicapilla Stavenn Ptilinopus roseicapilla 01.jpg  ?
Ohio Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Cardinal.jpg 1933 [40]
Oklahoma Scissor-tailed flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Scissortailedfly700.JPG 1951 [41]
Oregon Western meadowlark
(state songbird) [lower-alpha 1]
Sturnella neglecta WesternMeadowlark23.jpg 1927 [43]
2017 [44]
Pennsylvania Ruffed grouse [lower-alpha 2]
Puerto Rico None [46] [47]
Rhode Island Rhode Island Red Gallus gallus Rhode Island Red.jpg 1954 [48]
South Carolina Carolina wren Thryothorus ludovicianus Carolina Wren 2.jpg 1948 [49]
South Dakota Ring-necked pheasant Phasianus colchicus Phasianus colchicus 2 tom (Lukasz Lukasik).jpg 1943 [50]
Tennessee Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Mimus polyglottos adult 02 cropped.jpg 1933 [51]
Texas Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Mimus polyglottos adult 02 cropped.jpg 1927 [52]
Utah California gull Larus californicus CaliforniaGull23.jpg 1955 [53]
Vermont Hermit thrush Catharus guttatus Hermitthrush63.jpg 1941 [54]
Virgin Islands Bananaquit Coereba flaveola Bananaquits.jpg 1970
Virginia Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Cardinal.jpg 1950 [55]
Washington Willow goldfinch (American goldfinch)Spinus tristis Carduelis-tristis-002.jpg 1951 [56]
West Virginia Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Cardinal.jpg 1949 [57]
Wisconsin American robin Turdus migratorius Turdus-migratorius-002.jpg 1949 [58]
Wyoming Western meadowlark Sturnella neglecta WesternMeadowlark23.jpg 1927 [59]

Notes

  1. 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. [42]
  2. The ruffed grouse was named the "state game bird" in 1931 Act 234. [45]

Other state birds

In 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.

StateState birdScientific namePhotographyYear
Alabama Wild turkey
(state game bird)
Meleagris gallopavo Gall-dindi.jpg 1980 [60]
Georgia Bobwhite quail
(state game bird)
Colinus virginianus Virginiawachtel 2007-06-16 065.jpg 1970 [61]
Idaho Peregrine falcon
(state raptor)
Falco peregrinus Falco peregrinus good - Christopher Watson.jpg 2004 [62]
Massachusetts Wild turkey
(state game bird)
Meleagris gallopavo Gall-dindi.jpg 1991 [63]
Mississippi Wood duck
(state waterfowl)
Aix sponsa Brautente Wood Duck Aix sponsa.jpg 1974 [64]
Missouri Bobwhite quail
(state game bird)
Colinus virginianus Virginiawachtel 2007-06-16 065.jpg 2007 [65]
New Hampshire Red-tailed hawk
(state raptor)
Buteo jamaicensis Red-tailed Hawk.jpg 2019 [66]
Oklahoma Wild turkey
(state game bird)
Meleagris gallopavo Gall-dindi.jpg 1990 [67]
Oregon Osprey
(state raptor)
Pandion haliaetus 20100709d.jpg 2017 [68]
Pennsylvania Ruffed grouse
(state game bird)
Bonasa umbellus Bonasa-umbellus-001edit1.jpg 1931 [3]
South Carolina Northern mockingbird
(former state bird)
Mimus polyglottos Mimus polyglottos adult 02 cropped.jpg 1939 –
1948 [49]
Wild turkey
(state wild game bird)
Meleagris gallopavo Gall-dindi.jpg 1976 [69]
Wood duck
(state duck)
Aix sponsa Brautente Wood Duck Aix sponsa.jpg 2009 [70]
Tennessee Bobwhite quail
(state wild game bird)
Colinus virginianus Virginiawachtel 2007-06-16 065.jpg 1987 [71]
Wisconsin Eastern mourning dove
(state symbol of peace)
Zenaida macroura carolinensis Mourning Dove 2006.jpg 1971 [72]

States with the same state bird

Some state birds are shared between multiple states. Of the 50 states, a total of 32 do not have a unique state bird.

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Northern cardinal

Western meadowlark

Northern mockingbird

American robin

American goldfinch

Chickadee

Chicken

Eastern bluebird

Mountain bluebird

Unique state bird U.S. state birds map.svg

  Northern cardinal
  Western meadowlark
  Northern mockingbird
  American robin
  American goldfinch
  Chickadee
  Chicken
  Eastern bluebird
  Mountain bluebird
  Unique state bird
Bird# of states
Northern cardinal 7
Western meadowlark 6
Northern mockingbird 5 [lower-alpha 1]
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 [lower-alpha 2]
Chickadee 2 [lower-alpha 3]
Chicken 2 [lower-alpha 4]
Eastern bluebird 2
Mountain bluebird 2
Wood duck
(state waterfowl or duck)
2

Notes

  1. and formerly South Carolina
  2. 2 as "eastern goldfinch", 1 as "willow goldfinch"
  3. 1 as "black-capped chickadee", 1 as "chickadee"
  4. 1 as "Rhode Island Red", 1 as "Delaware Blue Hen"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern meadowlark</span> Species of bird

The eastern meadowlark is a medium-sized blackbird, very similar in appearance to sister species western meadowlark. It occurs from eastern North America to northern South America, where it is also most widespread in the east. The Chihuahuan meadowlark was formerly considered to be conspecific with the eastern meadowlark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western meadowlark</span> Medium sized bird of North America with distinctive yellow chest

The western meadowlark is a medium-sized icterid bird, about 8.5 in (22 cm) in length. It nests on the ground in open grasslands across western and central North America. It feeds mostly on bugs, but will also feed on seeds and berries. The western meadowlark has distinctive calls described as watery or flute-like, which distinguish it from the closely related eastern meadowlark. The western meadowlark is the state bird of six states: Montana, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, and Wyoming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chihuahuan meadowlark</span> Subspecies of bird

Chihuahuan meadowlark, also known as Lilian's meadowlark, is a bird in the family Icteridae. It is found in northern Mexico and the southwestern portion of the United States. It was formerly usually treated as a subspecies of the eastern meadowlark.

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