State Birds
A beakful of history
The Blue Hen Chicken, with its brilliant autumn coloring and perfect, swirling tail, is known for its fighting ability and used in political campaigns as a symbol of strength. That's why Delaware stepped outside of the box and designated the Blue Hen Chicken as its state bird.
All state birds are steeped in history, representing a state and its residents.
Oklahoma's state bird is one worth watching, with its dipping and diving mating dance and it's unique, scissor-tail. The state birds' fly dance is a sight to see, and something that people drive through the state to watch.
Some states not only have official state birds, but also official game birds. Alabama's official state bird, for example, is the yellow-hammer. But its game bird is the wild turkey. Georgia has both too: the official state bird is the Brown Thrasher, and the official game bird is the Bobwhite Quail. Mississippi has an official waterfowl, the Wood Duck. And Idaho has an official state raptor, the Pergrine falcon.
For clarity, all birds on the state birds list below are official state birds only.
The coolest of all the state birds
With its medley of beautiful songs, the mockingbird has become the one of the most popular state birds. In fact, five states have taken on the charming mockingbird as their state bird.
A mockingbird actually mimics songs from other species, repeating the songs at least three times before moving on to another. Most mockingbirds have a medley of up to 30 different bird songs!
But that beautiful bird isn’t the most popular. Seven states have adopted the red cardinal, a bird that's imitated and replicated throughout sports history.
State birds list
- Alabama: Yellow-hammer
- Alaska: Alaska Willow Ptarmigan
- Arizona: Coues' Cactus Wren
- Arkansas: Mockingbird
- California: California Valley Quail
- Colorado: Lark Bunting
- Connecticut: American Robin
- Delaware: Blue Hen Chicken
- Florida: Mockingbird
- Georgia: Brown Thrasher
- Hawaii: Nene (Hawaiian Goose)
- Idaho: Mountain Bluebird
- Illinois: Cardinal
- Indiana: Cardinal
- Iowa: Eastern Goldfinch
- Kansas: Western Meadowlark
- Kentucky: Cardinal
- Louisiana: Brown Pelican
- Maine: Chickadee
- Maryland: Baltimore Oriole
- Massachusetts: Chickadee
- Michigan: Robin Red Breast
- Minnesota: Common Loon
- Mississippi: Mockingbird
- Missouri: Bluebird
- Montana: Western Meadowlark
- Nebraska: Western Meadowlark
- Nevada: Mountain Bluebird
- New Hampshire: Purple Finch
- New Jersey: Eastern Goldfinch
- New Mexico: Chaparral Bird (Roadrunner)
- New York: Bluebird
- North Carolina: Cardinal
- North Dakota: Western Meadowlark
- Ohio: Cardinal
- Oklahoma: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
- Oregon: Western Meadowlark
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island Red
- South Carolina: Carolina Wren
- South Dakota: Ring-necked Pheasant
- Tennessee: Mockingbird
- Texas: Mockingbird
- Utah: California Gull
- Vermont: Hermit Thrush
- Virginia: Cardinal
- Washington: Willow Goldfinch
- West Virginia: Cardinal
- Washington Willow Goldfinch
- West Virginia: Cardinal
- Wisconsin: Robin
- Wyoming: Western Meadowlark
