List of U.S. state birds

Below is a list of U.S. state birds as designated by each state's legislature, as well as the District of Columbia's state bird. The list also contains U.S. territory birds as designated by each territory's legislature. The selection of state birds began in 1927, when the legislatures for Alabama, Florida, Maine, Missouri, Oregon, Texas and Wyoming selected their state birds. The last state to choose its bird was Arizona in 1973. 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. Several states have extinct official animals, such as state dinosaurs in addition to state insects, state butterflies, state mammals and state reptiles. The District of Columbia designated a district bird in 1938.[1] Each of the five inhabited territories of the United States has a designated territorial bird (except for American Samoa).

State birds

State federal district or territory	State bird district bird or territory bird	Binomial nomenclature	Photography	Year
Alabama	Yellowhammer (Northern flicker)	Colaptes auratus		1927[2]
Alaska	Willow ptarmigan	Lagopus lagopus		1955[3]
American Samoa	None (See List of birds of American Samoa)	—	—	—
Arizona	Cactus wren	Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus		1973[4]
Arkansas	Northern mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos		1929[5]
California	California quail	Callipepla californica		1931[6]
Colorado	Lark bunting	Calamospiza melanocorys		1931[7]
Connecticut	American robin	Turdus migratorius		1943[8]
Delaware	Delaware Blue Hen	Gallus gallus		1939[9]
District of Columbia	Wood thrush	Hylocichla mustelina		1938[1]
Florida	Northern mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos		1927[10]
Georgia	Brown thrasher	Toxostoma rufum		1928[11]
Guam	Guam rail (ko'ko')	Gallirallus owstoni		?
Hawaii	Hawaiian goose (Nēnē)	Branta sandvicensis		1957[12]
Idaho	Mountain bluebird	Sialia currucoides		1931[13]
Illinois	Northern cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis		1929[14]
Indiana	Northern cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis		1933[15]
Iowa	Eastern goldfinch (American goldfinch)	Spinus tristis		1933[16]
Kansas	Western meadowlark	Sturnella neglecta		1933[17]
Kentucky	Northern cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis		1942[18]
Louisiana	Brown pelican	Pelecanus occidentalis		1966[19]
Maine	Chickadee	Not specified in state law		1927[20]
Maryland	Baltimore oriole	Icterus galbula		1947[21]
Massachusetts	Black-capped chickadee	Poecile atricapilla		1941[22]
Michigan	American robin	Turdus migratorius		1931[23]
Minnesota	Common loon	Gavia immer		1961[24]
Mississippi	Northern mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos		1944[25]
Missouri	Eastern bluebird	Sialia sialis		1927[26]
Montana	Western meadowlark	Sturnella neglecta		1941[27]
Nebraska	Western meadowlark	Sturnella neglecta		1929[28]
Nevada	Mountain bluebird	Sialia currucoides		1967[29]
New Hampshire	Purple finch	Carpodacus purpureus		1957[30]
New Jersey	Eastern goldfinch (American goldfinch)	Spinus tristis		1935[31]
New Mexico	Chaparral bird (Greater roadrunner)	Geococcyx californianus		1949[32]
New York	Eastern bluebird	Sialia sialis		1970[33]
North Carolina	Northern cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis		1943[34]
North Dakota	Western meadowlark	Sturnella neglecta		1970[35]
Northern Mariana Islands	Mariana fruit-dove	Ptilinopus roseicapilla		?
Ohio	Northern cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis		1933[36]
Oklahoma	Scissor-tailed flycatcher	Tyrannus forficatus		1951[37]
Oregon	Western meadowlark	Sturnella neglecta		1927[38]
Pennsylvania	Ruffed Grouse	Bonasa umbellus		1931[39]
Puerto Rico	Puerto Rican spindalis	Spindalis portoricensis		?
Rhode Island	Rhode Island Red	Gallus gallus		1954[40]
South Carolina	Carolina wren	Thryothorus ludovicianus		1948[41]
South Dakota	Ring-necked pheasant	Phasianus colchicus		1943[42]
Tennessee	Northern mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos		1933[43]
Texas	Northern mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos		1927[44]
Utah	California gull	Larus californicus		1955[45]
Vermont	Hermit thrush	Catharus guttatus		1941[46]
Virgin Islands (U.S.)	Bananaquit	Coereba flaveola		1970
Virginia	Northern cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis		1950[47]
Washington	Willow goldfinch (American goldfinch)	Spinus tristis		1951[48]
West Virginia	Northern cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis		1949[49]
Wisconsin	American robin	Turdus migratorius		1949[50]
Wyoming	Western meadowlark	Sturnella neglecta		1927[51]

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.

State	State bird	Binomial nomenclature	Photography	Year
Alabama	Wild turkey (state game bird)	Meleagris gallopavo		1980[52]
Georgia	Bobwhite quail (state game bird)	Colinus virginianus		1970[53]
Idaho	Peregrine falcon (state raptor)	Falco peregrinus		2004[54]
Massachusetts	Wild turkey (state game bird)	Meleagris gallopavo		1991[55]
Mississippi	Wood duck (state waterfowl)	Aix sponsa		1974[56]
Missouri	Bobwhite quail (state game bird)	Colinus virginianus		2007[57]
Oklahoma	Wild turkey (state game bird)	Meleagris gallopavo		1990[58]
South Carolina	Northern mockingbird (former state bird)	Mimus polyglottos		1939 - 1948[41]
	Wild turkey (state wild game bird)	Meleagris gallopavo		1976[59]
	Wood duck (state duck)	Aix sponsa		2009[60]
Tennessee	Bobwhite quail (state wild game bird)	Colinus virginianus		1987[61]
Wisconsin	Eastern mourning dove (state symbol of peace)	Zenaida macroura carolinensis		1971[62]

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.

  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"

References

1. "District of Columbia State Bird". District of Columbia State Symbols. 50 States.
2. "Alabama State Bird". Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors. Alabama Department of Archives and History. 2006-04-27. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
3. "Alaska State Bird". Alaska History, Geography, Population and State Facts. Fact Monster.
4. "Arizona State Bird". Arizona State Bird- Cactus Wren. 50 States.
5. "Arkansas State Bird". Arkansas State Bird- Mockingbird. About.
6. "California State Bird". California State Bird- California Quail. 50 States.
7. "Colorado State Bird". Colorado State Bird- Lark Bunting. About. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
8. "Connecticut State Bird". The State Bird. State of Connecticut.
9. "Delaware State Bird". California State Bird- Blue Hen Chicken. 50 States.
10. "Florida State Bird". Florida State Bird: Mockingbird. SHG Resources.
11. "Georgia State Bird". Georgia State Bird Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum. Netstate.
12. "Hawaii State Bird". The Nene Goose- Branta Sandvicensis-Hawaii's State Bird. Aloha-Hawaii.
13. "Idaho State Bird". Idaho State Bird Mountain Bluebird. Netstate.
14. "State Symbols". State of Illinois. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
15. "Indiana State Bird". Indiana Historical Bureau. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
16. "Iowa State Bird". Iowa State Bird Eastern Goldfinch Carduelis tristis. Netstate.
17. "Kansas State Bird". Kansas State Bird Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta. Netstate.
18. "Kentucky State Bird". Kentucky's State Bird: The Cardinal. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Archived from the original on 2010-03-18.
19. "Louisiana State Bird". Louisiana State Bird: Brown Pelican. SHG Resources.
20. The problem with naming ‘the chickadee’ as Maine’s state bird Bangor Daily News. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
21. "Maryland State Bird". Louisiana State Bird Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula. Netstate.
22. "Massachusetts State Bird". Massachusetts State Bird: Chickadee. SHG Resources.
23. "Michigan State Bird". Michigan State Bird American Robin Turdus migratorius. Netstate.
24. "Minnesota State Bird". Minnesota State Bird Common Loon Gavia immer. Netstate.
25. "Mississippi State Bird". Mississippi State Bird: Mockingbird. SHG Resources.
26. "State Symbols of Missouri". Missouri's State Bird. Missouri Secretary of State.
27. "Montana State Bird". Michigan State Bird Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta. Netstate.
28. "Western Meadowlark", NebraskAccess, Nebraska State Symbols, Nebraska Library Commission, retrieved 2020-06-18
29. "Nevada State Bird". Nevada State Bird, mountain bluebird. Val-U-Corp Services, Inc. Archived from the original on 2015-01-14. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
30. "New Hampshire State Bird". New Hampshire State Bird: Purple Finch. SHG Resources.
31. "New Jersey State Bird". NJ Senate No. 241. NJ Home.
32. "New Mexico State Bird - Roadrunner". New Mexico State Bird - Roadrunner - Geococcyx californianus. 50states.com.
33. "New York State Bird". New York State Bird Bluebird Sialia sialis. Netstate.
34. "North Carolina State Bird". Cardinal- North Carolina State Bird. NC Department of State.
35. "North Dakota State Bird". North Dakota State Bird Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta. Netstate.
36. "Ohio State Bird". Ohio's State Bird- The Cardinal. Ohio History Central.
37. "Oklahoma State Bird". Oklahoma State bird. Birds of Oklahoma. Archived from the original on 2008-02-19.
38. "Oregon State Bird". Oregon State Bird Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta. Netstate.
39. "1931 Act 234", Unconsolidated Statutes, Pennsylvania General Assembly, retrieved 2020-06-02
40. "Rhode Island State Bird". Rhode Island State Bird: Rhode Island Red. SHG Resources.
41. "SC Statehouse Student's web page, State Symbols and Emblems, State Bird". South Carolina General Assembly. Archived from the original on 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
42. "South Dakota State Bird". South Dakota State Bird Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus. Netstate.
43. "Tennessee State Bird". Tennessee State Bird: Mockingbird. SHG Resources.
44. "Texas State Bird". The Texas State Bird: Mockingbird. Lone Star Junction.
45. "Utah State Bird". Utah State Bird California Gull Larus californicus. Netstate.
46. "Vermont State Bird". Vermont State Bird- Hermit Thrush. About. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
47. "Virginia State Bird". Netstate. 2005-04-17. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
48. "Symbols of Washington State". Washington State Legislature. Archived from the original on 2007-03-05. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
49. "West Virginia State Bird". Netstate.
50. "Wisconsin State Bird". Wisconsin State Bird: Robin. SHG Resources.
51. "Wyoming State Bird". Wyoming State Bird: Robin. State of Wyoming. Archived from the original on 2007-02-10.
52. "Official Alabama Game Bird". Alabama Emblems, Symb and Honors. Alabama Department of Archives and History. 2003-11-17. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
53. "Georgia Secretary of State - State Game Bird". Georgia Secretary of State. State of Georgia. Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
54. "Idaho State Raptor". Idaho State Raptor Peregrine Falcon. Netstate.
55. CIS: State Symbols
56. "Mississippi State Symbols, Emblems, and Mascots". SHG Resources.
57. "HOUSE BILL NO. 576" (PDF). HOUSE BILL NO. 576 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY. State of Missouri. Archived from the original on 2010-06-02.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
58. "Oklahoma State Game Bird". Official State Game Birds. NSTATE, LLC.
59. "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.
60. "South Carolina State Duck". Official State Ducks. NSTATE, LLC.
61. "Tennessee State Symbols". Tennessee State General Assembly. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09.
62. "Wisconsin Historical Society". Wisconsin State Symbols. Wisconsin Historical Society.

External links