In the U.S., each state designated a bird as its official state bird, representing the spirit of that state. The first state to choose its state bird was Kentucky, adopting the northern cardinal in 1926, and Arizona, being the last state to choose its bird, adopted the Cactus wren in 1973.
A few states, including Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin have chosen a state game bird, a state waterfowl (or state duck), a state raptor, or a bird as their state symbol of peace, in addition to having a state bird.
Three states, including California, South Dakota, and Alaska allow residents to hunt their state birds. Furthermore, more than thirty states do not have a unique state bird. For example, seven states chose the Northern cardinal as their state bird while six states chose the Western meadowlark as their state bird.
State |
Bird Name |
Bird Picture |
|---|---|---|
Alabama |
Yellowhammer (northern flicker) (Colaptes auratus) in addition to Wild turkey (state game bird) | |
Alaska |
Willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) |  |
Arizona |
Cactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) |  |
Arkansas |
Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) |  |
California |
California quail (Callipepla californica) |  |
Colorado |
Lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) |  |
Connecticut |
American robin (Turdus migratorius) |  |
Delaware |
Delaware Blue Hen (Gallus gallus) |  |
Washington, D.C. |
Wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) |  |
Florida |
Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) | |
Georgia |
Brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) in addition to Bobwhite quail (state game bird) |  |
Hawaii |
Hawaiian goose (Branta sandvicensis) |  |
Idaho |
Mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) in addition to Peregrine falcon (state raptor) |  |
Illinois |
Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) |  |
Indiana |
Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | |
Iowa |
Eastern goldfinch (Spinus tristis) |  |
Kansas |
Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) |  |
Kentucky |
Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | |
Louisiana |
Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) |  |
Maine |
Chickadee (Family Paridae) |  |
Maryland |
Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula) |  |
Massachusetts |
Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapilla) in addition to Wild turkey (state game bird) |  |
Michigan |
American robin (Turdus migratorius) | |
Minnesota |
Common loon (Gavia immer) |  |
Mississippi |
Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) in addition to Wood duck (state waterfowl) | |
Missouri |
Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) in addition to Bobwhite quail (state game bird) |  |
Montana |
Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) | |
Nebraska |
Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) | |
Nevada |
Mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) | |
New Hampshire |
Purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus) in addition to Red-tailed hawk (state raptor) |  |
New Jersey |
Eastern goldfinch (Spinus tristis) | |
New Mexico |
Greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) |  |
New York |
Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) |  |
North Carolina |
Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) |  |
North Dakota |
Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) | |
Ohio |
Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | |
Oklahoma |
Scissor-tailed flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) in addition to Wild turkey (state game bird) |  |
Oregon |
Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) in addition to Osprey (state raptor) | |
Pennsylvania |
Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) |  |
Rhode Island |
Rhode Island Red (Gallus gallus) |  |
South Carolina |
Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) in addition to Wood duck (state duck) |  |
South Dakota |
Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) |  |
Tennessee |
Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) in addition to Bobwhite quail (state wild game bird) | |
Texas |
Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) | |
Utah |
California gull (Larus californicus) |  |
Vermont |
Hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus) |  |
Virginia |
Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | |
Washington |
Willow goldfinch (Spinus tristis) | |
West Virginia |
Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) | |
Wisconsin |
American robin (Turdus migratorius) in addition to Eastern mourning dove (state symbol of peace) | |
Wyoming |
Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) | |
Go to "legal pet birds by state" to find out if any of these state birds are legal to keep as a pet in your state.
