State Guides to Birds

State Guides to Birds book cover — Introduction Each state in the United States has different attributes or qualities that make it unique From the trees and ﬂ owers to the birds and other animals in a region a state’s natural surroundings often become symbolic of the area And sometimes these symbols become ofﬁ cial These symbols remind people of what makes their state great Birds are one of those symbols Many are chosen because of their abundant numbers in the state history in the state appearance or beautiful songs The United States has a national bird as a symbol the bald eagle This bird of prey was chosen in 1782 a few years after the country gained its independence from England The bald eagle is only found in North America and is a strong and independent bird It represents the country’s ideals of strength and determination Citizens organizations or schoolchildren often chose their state bird They requested a bill with their state legislature If the bill passed it became an ofﬁ cial law The states adopted their state bird Some birds are entwined with the state’s history like the California gull It saved Utah settlers crops by eating millions of invading locusts in 1848 One state bird the greater roadrunner was the subject of American Indian and settlers legends Many states share their symbol with other states The mockingbird with its beautiful song is the symbol for ﬁ ve states The bright red northern cardinal is shared by seven states The western meadowlark is shared by six states By 1971 all 50 states and Washington D C had chosen their state birds They represent the diversity of birds from hens and songbirds to waterfowl and seabirds found across the entire United States

State Guides to Birds — page 1 — Alabama Northern Flicker Yellowhammer You can spot a northern ﬂ icker just by watching it ﬂ y This woodpecker’s feathers are either bright yellow or red under its wings While it nests in tree hollows it forages for food on the ground It mostly eats ants but also searches for other insects and fruits It lives in woodlands and is common in Alabama The northern ﬂ icker is also called a yellowhammer because of its yellow wing color During the American Civil War Alabamans called troops of soldiers Yellowhammers because of the yellow on their uniforms It’s the reason this bird was chosen as an Alabama state symbol Scientiﬁ c Name Colaptes auratus Length 12 13 inches 31 33 centimeters Year Made State Bird 1927 4

State Guides to Birds — page 2 — Alaska Willow Ptarmigan The willow ptarmigan is found in cold tundra areas of the world Its feathers turn from brown to snowy white in the fall This makes great camouﬂ age during the long Alaskan winters This bird also has built-in snowshoes Its feathered feet help it walk on ice and snow In the mid-1950s Alaskan kids voted for the willow ptarmigan to be the state bird It became ofﬁ cial when Alaska became a state in 1959 Scientiﬁ c Name Lagopus lagopus Length 14 17 5 inches 35 44 centimeters Year Made State Bird 1959 5

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