Official US State Birds

Official US State Birds By State

From state nicknames and state songs to state flowers and mammals, the United States is full of symbols for its 50 states. Each is representative of the state’s heritage and natural treasures.

Starting in 1927, state birds began to be selected by states. The first states to adopt a state bird were Alabama, Florida, Maine, Missouri, Oregon, Texas and Wyoming. The last state to pick its bird was Arizona in 1973.

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.

So, grab your bird-watching binoculars and get to know the 50 official state birds in the U.S., from Alabama to Wyoming (and Washington, D.C., too)

Here is the name and a picture of every state’s official bird:

Birds most commonly named U.S. State birds

Listed by State

• Alabama: Northern Flicker also known as Yellowhammer (Colaptes auratus):
• Alaska: Willow Grouse aka Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus)
• Arizona: Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)
• Arkansas: Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

• California: California Quail aka California Valley Quail or Valley Quail (Callipepla californica)
• Colorado: Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)
• Connecticut: American Robin or Migratory Thrush (Turdus migratorius)
• Delaware: Blue Hen Chicken
• Florida: Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) – Ongoing campaign to have the Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) replace the mockingbird as the State Bird since this bird species is found only in Florida; and is classified as threatened (of extinction) due to fragmentation and loss of its natural habitat.

• Georgia: Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
• Hawaii: Nene aka Hawaiian Goose (Branta sandvicensis)

• Idaho: Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)
• Illinois and Indiana: Northern Cardinal or Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
• Iowa: American Goldfinch or Eastern Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
• Kansas: Western Meadowlark or Missouri Meadow-lark (Sturnella neglecta)Kentucky: Northern Cardinal or Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
• Louisiana: Eastern Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis)

• Maine: Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus)
• Maryland: Northern Oriole aka Baltimore Oriole or Bullock’s Oriole (Icterus galbula)
• Massachusetts: Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus)
• Michigan: American Robin or Migratory Thrush (Turdus migratorius) … Michigan’s State Bird of Peace: Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
• Minnesota: Great Northern Loon, Great Northern Diver or Common Loon (Gavia immer)
• Mississippi: Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos
• Missouri: Eastern Bluebird aka Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
• Montana: Western Meadowlark or Missouri Meadow-lark (Sturnella neglecta)

• Nebraska: Western Meadowlark or Missouri Meadow-lark (Sturnella neglecta)
• Nevada: Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)
• New Hampshire: Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus)
• New Jersey: American Goldfinch or Eastern Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
• New Mexico: Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
• New York: Eastern Bluebird aka Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
• North Carolina: Northern Cardinal or Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
• North Dakota: Western Meadowlark or Missouri Meadow-lark (Sturnella neglecta)

• Ohio: Northern Cardinal or Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
• Oklahoma: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)
• Oregon: Western Meadowlark or Missouri Meadow-lark (Sturnella neglecta)
• Pennsylvania: Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)
• Rhode Island: Rhode Island Red (Chicken)

• South Carolina: Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 
• South Dakota: Ring-necked Pheasant or Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
• Tennessee and Texas: Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
• Utah: Common American Gull or California Gull (Larus californicus)
• Vermont: Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)Virginia: Northern Cardinal or Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

• Washington: American Goldfinch, Willow or Eastern Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
• West Virginia: Northern Cardinal or Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
• Wisconsin: American Robin or Migratory Thrush (Turdus migratorius)
• Wyoming: Western Meadowlark or Missouri Meadow-lark (Sturnella neglecta)