Complete Guide to U.S. State Birds: Facts, Regions, and Fun Trivia

The idea of official state birds began to take flight in the 1920s to highlight each state's unique wildlife. Kentucky became the first state to recognize a state bird when it chose the cardinal in 1926. Since then, all 50 states have selected their feathered ambassadors, with some popular birds representing multiple states.

Because the American Eagle was chosen as a U.S. symbol, it set a precedent for states to select a state bird for their state officially.

Therefore, state birds are official avian symbols that each U.S. state has chosen to represent its natural heritage and regional identity. In the early 20th century, states selected these feathered representatives through legislative processes to showcase local wildlife and foster state pride.

Northeast Region State Bird Symbols

Connecticut - American Robin

This orange-breasted bird, with its cheerful "cheerily, cheer up" warble, is a beloved harbinger of spring. It is commonly seen foraging for earthworms in lawns and parks.

Delaware - Blue Hen Chicken

This medium-sized domestic fowl has distinctive blue-gray plumage and darker hackles. It has been the state symbol since 1939, reflecting Delaware's farming roots.

Maine - Black-capped Chickadee

This small, curious bird with its distinctive black cap and white cheeks fills Maine's woodlands with its familiar "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" call and clear "fee-bee" whistle.

Maryland - Baltimore Oriole

Males display striking orange and black coloring while females show more yellowish tones. These songbirds are known for their sweet whistled notes and rattling chatter.

Massachusetts - Black-capped Chickadee

Like Maine, Massachusetts chose this sociable 5-inch bird for its prominent "chickadee" call and year-round presence in local woodlands.

New Hampshire - Purple Finch

Males show raspberry-red coloring while females display streaky brown patterns. These songbirds add their distinctive, melodious songs to the state's landscape.

New Jersey - American Goldfinch

Bright yellow males with black caps and wings bring sunshine to New Jersey's fields. While feeding on thistle seeds, they produce their characteristic "po-ta-to-chip" call.

New York - Eastern Bluebird

This azure-colored bird represents the state's natural beauty with its gentle nature and pleasant song. Its 7-inch frame and soft warbling call reflect this beauty.

Pennsylvania - Ruffed Grouse

The drumming call of this fan-tailed bird echoes through Pennsylvania's dense woodlands, where its mottled brown plumage camouflages it among the trees.

Rhode Island - Rhode Island Red Chicken

This domestic chicken, noted for its deep red coloring, represents the state's farming roots and energetic spirit.

Vermont - Hermit Thrush

This modest brown bird with a rusty tail fills Vermont's wooded landscape with its ghostly, flute-like tune, often heard at dusk.

South Region State Bird Symbols

Alabama—Northern Flicker (Yellowhammer)

The Yellowhammer, a nickname for a terrestrial woodpecker called the Northern Flicker, has been the state bird since 1927.

Arkansas - Northern Mockingbird

Known for imitating up to 200 bird songs, this gray and white performer creates symphonies of borrowed melodies.

Florida - Northern Mockingbird

Like Arkansas, Florida celebrates this vocal virtuoso, demonstrating its remarkable mimicry abilities throughout the state.

Georgia - Brown Thrasher

With one of the most extensive song repertoires in the world (around 1,100 songs), this rufous-backed bird shows off an impressive musical range.

Kentucky - Northern Cardinal

The first state to choose an official bird in 1926, Kentucky selected this vivid red songbird whose "birdy-birdy-birdy" call brightens winter landscapes.

Louisiana - Brown Pelican

This large coastal bird with its distinctive pouch and 6-8 foot wingspan is a silent guardian along Louisiana's shores.

Mississippi - Northern Mockingbird

Another state is celebrating the mockingbird's incredible vocal abilities and energetic performances.

North Carolina - Northern Cardinal

The brilliant red male cardinal's black face mask represents North Carolina's woodland beauty.

South Carolina - Carolina Wren

This small rusty-brown bird with a white eyebrow stripe fills the state with its loud, cheerful "tea-kettle-tea-kettle" call.

Tennessee - Northern Mockingbird

Tennessee joins the chorus of states honoring the mockingbird's remarkable singing talents.

Texas - Northern Mockingbird

The largest state choosing the mockingbird, Texas, celebrates this bird's ability to perform its melodies day and night.

Virginia - Northern Cardinal

Virginia's vivid red messenger brings a brilliant color to the state's gardens and woodlands year-round.

West Virginia - Northern Cardinal

The Mountain State chose this iconic red bird to symbolize its scenic beauty and natural heritage. It’s the only cardinal that can live at higher elevations.

Midwest Region State Bird Symbols

Illinois - Northern Cardinal

Illinois joins six other states in celebrating the cardinal's lovely red plumage and distinctive song.

Indiana - Northern Cardinal

Another cardinal state, Indiana, appreciates this bird's year-round presence and striking crimson appearance.

Iowa - American Goldfinch

Iowa was the first state to choose the goldfinch in 1933. With its sunny yellow breeding plumage, Iowa celebrates this "thistle-painted treasure."

Kansas - Western Meadowlark

Kansas selected this prairie singer known for its bright yellow breast, black "V" marking, and liquid 7-10 note melody.

Michigan - American Robin

Michigan was the first state to adopt the robin in 1931, honoring this common backyard bird with its orange-red breast.

Minnesota - Common Loon

The loon perfectly represents Minnesota's northern lake country with its distinctive checkered black-and-white pattern and haunting calls.

Missouri - Eastern Bluebird

Missouri's "cute little performer" has a bright blue back and rust-colored throat and sings soft, warbling songs.

Nebraska - Western Meadowlark

Like Kansas, Nebraska chose this golden-breasted singer whose flute-like songs float across grasslands and prairies.

North Dakota - Western Meadowlark

North Dakota's selection joins the meadowlark chorus, celebrating this bird's memorable prairie calls.

Ohio - Northern Cardinal

Ohio rounds out the cardinal states, appreciating this bird's brilliant winter presence against a snowy canvas.

South Dakota - Ring-necked Pheasant

This introduced Asian species, with its copper-and-gold coloring and princely white collar, has become iconic in South Dakota's grasslands.

Wisconsin - American Robin

Wisconsin chose this favorite neighbor for its role as a spring harbinger and its comforting "cheerily, cheer up" song.

West Region State Bird Symbols

Alaska - Willow Ptarmigan

This hardy 14-17 inch bird changes to white winter plumage and uses feathered feet to walk across Alaska's snowy terrain.

Arizona - Cactus Wren

North America's largest wren, with its brown and white-spotted feathers and loud "chur-chur-chur" call, is ideally suited to desert life.

California - California Quail

This plump ground-dweller with its distinctive curved head plume frequently calls "Chi-ca-go" across the Golden State.

Colorado - Lark Bunting

Males turn black with white wing patches while females remain streaky brown, filling Colorado's plains with trills and whistles.

Hawaii - Nēnē (Hawaiian Goose)

The only indigenous goose in Hawaii, this protected species with its distinctive black head and soft honking represents island conservation success. At one time, Hawaii only had 60 birds of this type.

Idaho - Mountain Bluebird

Males display brilliant azure coloring while females show grey-blue with rusty breasts, adding color to Idaho's mountain landscapes.

Montana - Western Meadowlark

Montana's choice joins the meadowlark family, celebrating this bird's beautiful prairie songs.

Nevada - Mountain Bluebird

Nevada selected this sapphire-colored bird for its striking appearance against the Sierra mountain backdrop.

New Mexico - Greater Roadrunner

This iconic desert bird can run 20 mph and calls out distinctive "coo-coo-coo" sounds across New Mexico's landscapes.

Oklahoma - Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

A true show-stopper with its extremely long, forked tail and aerial acrobatics, accompanied by "keks" and "tweets."

Oregon - Western Meadowlark

Among the first states to choose the meadowlark in 1927, Oregon celebrates this bird's liquid melodies.

Utah - California Gull

These medium-sized gulls with white bodies and gray wings famously saved Mormon settlers' crops from cricket infestations 1848.

Washington - American Goldfinch

This golden songbird brings sunshine to the Pacific Northwest with its bright yellow breeding plumage and "po-ta-to-chip" calls.

Wyoming - Western Meadowlark

Wyoming rounds out the meadowlark states, honoring this bird's Western-adapted songs across the Cowboy State's grasslands.

State Birds Quick Reference Chart

Fun Facts & Statistics

Most Popular State Birds

1. Cardinal - 7 states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia)

2. Western Meadowlark - 6 states (Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Wyoming)

3. Mockingbird - 5 states (Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas)

4. American Robin - 3 states (Connecticut, Michigan, Wisconsin)

5. American Goldfinch - 3 states (Iowa, New Jersey, Washington)

Speed Champions

● Fastest Diving: Brown Pelican (Louisiana) - up to 60 mph diving for fish

● Fastest Running: Roadrunner (New Mexico) - up to 20 mph on the ground

● Fastest Flying: Ring-necked Pheasant (South Dakota) - up to 60 mph in flight

Size Extremes

● Largest: Brown Pelican (Louisiana) - wingspan up to 8 feet

● Smallest: Black-capped Chickadee (Maine, Massachusetts) - only 4.5-5.9 inches long

● Heaviest: Ring-necked Pheasant (South Dakota) - males up to 3 pounds

Unique Distinctions

● Only Domestic Bird: Blue Hen Chicken (Delaware) and Rhode Island Red Chicken (Rhode Island)

● Only Extinct in the Wild (then recovered): Hawaiian Goose/Nēnē (Hawaii)

● Only Seabird: Brown Pelican (Louisiana)

● Only Game Bird as State Bird: Ring-necked Pheasant (South Dakota)

● Can Change Color: Willow Ptarmigan (Alaska) - white in winter, brown in summer

Musical Birds

● Best Mimics: Mockingbird (5 states) - can imitate over 200 bird songs

● Most Complex Song: Brown Thrasher (Georgia) - repertoire of over 1,100 song types

● Sweetest Song: Hermit Thrush (Vermont) - considered one of the most beautiful bird songs

Nesting Facts

● Largest Nest: California Gull (Utah) - colonial nesters with thousands of birds

● Smallest Nest: American Goldfinch (3 states) - cup-shaped, only 3 inches across

● Ground Nester: Lark Bunting (Colorado) - builds nest in grass on prairie ground

● Cavity Nester: Cactus Wren (Arizona) - nests in cacti for protection

Adoption Timeline

● First Adopted: Kentucky (Cardinal, 1926)

● Last Adopted: Nevada (Mountain Bluebird, 1967)

● Most Popular Decade: 1930s (21 states chose their birds)

Migration Patterns

● Longest Migration: American Robin (3 states) - some travel 3,000+ miles

● Year-round Residents: Cardinals (7 states) - don't migrate

● Partial Migrants: Mountain Bluebird (Idaho, Nevada) - some migrate, others stay

Surprising Facts

●The California Gull (Utah) saved crops from crickets, earning it the state bird status

● Delaware Blue Hen Chicken was named after fighting cocks carried by Revolutionary War soldiers

● Alaska's Willow Ptarmigan has feathered feet for walking on snow

● The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Oklahoma) can perform incredible aerial acrobatics

● Hawaii's Nēnē is the world's rarest goose

Conclusion

From the cardinal-loving eastern states to the meadowlark-singing plains, these feathered ambassadors represent their adopted homes' natural heritage and the character of the people and the terrain.