US Official State Birds & Fowls

State Bird & Fowl Designations of the 50 US States

The legislature of each state in the United States has designated one bird species as the an official "State Bird" for that state. In most cases the symbol for the bird species that was selected is indigenous to that state and is often recognized as being associated with that state.

The selection of state birds began in 1927, and many a state bird was selected by a state before the species was "officially" named by the American Ornithologists' Union. Every state and Canadian province and territory has an official bird. Some states even have two official birds. The last state to choose its bird was Arizona in 1973. Alaska, California, South Dakota, and Pennsylvania permit hunting of their state birds, while Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Tennessee have designated an additional "state game bird" for hunting. Seven states have adopted the Cardinal as their state bird: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. followed by the western meadowlark as the state bird of six states.

The Official State Bird Designations of the 50 US States provides an interesting historical perspective as to events taking place during that period of a State's history. Birds are among the most popular state symbols in the United States.

Birds (Aves) are a group of endothermic vertebrates, characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight skeleton. Birds live worldwide and range in size from the 5 cm (2 in) bee hummingbird to the 2.75 m (9 ft) ostrich.

All 50 state birds of the United States and a photograph of each one is on the below list.



Official State Bird & Fowl Designations

State Symbols

Bird Adopted As

\w

Alabama Yellow-hammer
Alabama State Bird
Alabama Wild Turkey
AlabamaState Game Bird
Ma
Ok
Sc
Alaska Alaska Willow Ptarmigan
Alaska State Bird
Arizona Cactus Wren
Arizona State Bird
Arkansas Mockingbird
Arkansas State Bird
Fl
Ms
Tn
Tx
California California Valley Quail
California State Bird and Avifaunal Emblem
Colorado Lark Bunting
Colorado State Bird
Connecticut American Robin
Connecticut State Bird
Mi
Wi
DC Wood Thrush
DC District Bird
Delaware Blue Hen Chicken
Delaware State Bird
Florida Mocking Bird
Florida State Bird
Ar
Ms
Tn
Tx
Georgia Brown Thrasher
Georgia State Bird
Georgia Bobwhite Quail
Georgia State Game Bird
Mo
Tn
Hawaii Nene (Hawaiian Goose)
Hawaii State Bird
Idaho Mountain Bluebird
Idaho State Bird
Nv
Idaho Peregrine Falcon
Idaho State Raptor
Illinois Cardinal
Illinois State Bird
In
Ky
Nc
Oh
Va
Wv
Indiana Cardinal
Indiana State Bird
Il
Ky
Nc
Oh
Va
Wv
Iowa Eastern Goldfinch
Iowa State Bird
Nj
Wa
Kansas Western Meadowlark
Kansas State Bird
Mt
Ne
Nd
Or
Wy
Kentucky Cardinal
Kentucky State Bird
Il
In
Nc
Oh
Va
Wv
Louisiana Brown Pelican
Louisiana State Bird
Maine Chickadee
Maine State Bird
Ma
Maryland Baltimore Oriole
Maryland State Bird
Massachusetts Chickadee
Massachusetts State Bird
Me
Massachusetts Wild Turkey
Massachusetts State Game Bird
Al
Ok
Sc
Michign American Robin
Michigan State Bird
Ct
Wi
Minnesota Common Loon
Minnesota State Bird
Mississippi Mockingbird
Mississippi State Bird
Ar
Fl
Tn
Tx
Mississippi Wood Duck
Mississippi State Waterfowl
Sc
Missouri Bluebird
Missouri State Bird
Ny
Missouri Bobwhite quail
Missouri State Game Bird
Ga
Tn
Montana Western Meadowlark
Montana State Bird
Ks
Ne
Nd
Or
Wy
Nebraska Western Meadowlark
Nebraska State Bird
Ks
Mt
Nd
Or
Wy
Nevada Mountain Bluebird
Nevada State Bird
Id
New Hampshire Purple Finch
New Hampshire State Bird
New Jersey Eastern Goldfinch
New Jersey State Bird
Ia
Wa
New Mexico Chaparral Bird (Roadrunner)
New Mexico State Bird
New York Bluebird
New York State Bird
Mo
North Carolina Cardinal
North Carolina State Bird
Il
In
Ky
Oh
Va
Wv
North Dakota Western Meadowlark
North Dakota State Bird
Ks
Mt
Ne
Or

Wy

Ohio Cardinal
Ohio State Bird
Il
In
Ky
Nc
Va
Wv
Oklahoma Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Oklahoma State Bird
Oklahoma Wild Turkey
Oklahoma State Game Bird
Al
Ma
Sc
Oregon Western Meadowlark
Oregon State Bird
Ks
Mt
Ne
Nd
Wy
Pennsylvania Ruffed Grouse
Pennsylvania State Game Bird
Rhode Island Rhode Island Red
Rhode Island State Bird
South Carolina Carolina Wren
South Carolina State Bird
South Carolina Wild Turkey
South Carolina State Game Bird
Al
Ma
Ok
South Carolina Wood duck
South Carolina State Duck
Ms
South Dakota Ring-necked Pheasant
South Dakota State Bird
Tennessee Mockingbird
Tennessee State Bird
Ar
Fl
Ms
Tx
Tennessee Bobwhite Quail
Tennessee State Game Bird
Ga
Mo
Texas Mockingbird
Texas State Bird
Ar
Fl
Ms
Tn
Utah California Gull
Utah State Bird
Vermont Hermit Thrush
Vermont State Bird
Virginia Cardinal
Virginia State Bird
Il
In
Ky
Nc
Oh
Wv
Washington Willow Goldfinch
Washington State Bird
Ia
Nj
West Virginia Cardinal
West Virginia State Bird
Il
In
Ky
Nc
Oh
Va
Wisconsin American Robin
Wisconsin State Bird
Ct
Mi
Wisconsin Mourning Dove
Wisconsin State Symbol of Peace
Wyoming Western Meadowlark
Wyoming State Bird
Ks
Mt
Ne
Nd
Or
US Bald Eagle
US National Bird
Official State Birds
US map : Birds & Flowers
State Bird:Bird selected (by the legislature) as an emblem of a State.