Our state bird is the mockingbird: It can sing more different tunes than Miley Cyrus, is a staunch defender of its nest and nestlings, and intelligent enough to recognize and remember individual people (maybe Joe Biden could learn that from one.) It is said that Thomas Jefferson kept one as a pet.
I originally disliked them and thought of them as a nuisance, and used to claim that they were made the state bird to keep people from killing them off.
Then I rescued a chick that had been blown out of a tree, along with its nest, and landed close to a fire ant bed. I hate fire ants and was not about to let them have that free meal, and took the bird in and raised it, feeding it berries, small mealy worms sold as bait, and later tiny grasshoppers I caught in the yard. I guess I imprinted on it, for it learned to fly over to me when it was hungry. It would also come to me when I whistled the iconic first 4 notes of Beethoven’s fifth! I guess it associated the notes with food.
With the grasshoppers, I went in stages: I first hand fed it one at a time; then put them into a cup, turned it sideways and let the bird crawl in after them; then would throw a hand full of the hoppers onto the lawn to stun them and let the bird learn to go after them. Soon it would go after them all on its own.
When I was sure it could feed itself, I put it up onto a branch of a pear tree in my back yard. For a few days it would fly over to me when I was out in the yard, then I was never sure I saw it again. I always hoped it wasn’t caught by one of the many cats or hawks we had in the neighborhood.
@phendrick that’s a wonderful story - I love mockingbirds, we have a resident pair that are back this spring, screwing with the other birds by imitating their songs …
Kind of partial to NY
/image eastern blue bird
But I do like the Connecticut
/image lark bunting
Just for the name, Hawaii
/image nene bird
Enjoying our feeder that has attracted
/image Baltimore Oriole bird
But for pure coolness, I have to go with the New Mexico
/image roadrunner
Honorable mention to a non-state bird
/image indigo bunting
Y’all are in Texas and left out the mocking bird. It literally makes fun of other birds all day while viciously dive bombing anything that come too close to its nest.
South Dakota’s ring necked pheasant is gorgeous especially in flight. You can hunt it as a bonus, well in certain states. Great tasting meat, tie fishing flies with the feathers, catch fish and have more protein to eat.
Coolest looking wild bird I ever saw in person was a small flock of yellow-tailed cedar waxwings that perched in a tree a few yards from me while I was up on my roof replacing a few damaged shingles.
They wear masks (don’t do social-distancing, though). Note pastel yellow on belly and brighter yellow at tip of tail. Look closely for the little spot of orange-red on the wings.
I love the Western Meadowlark - it sounds like summer to me - but it’s not my state’s bird.
/image western meadowlark
We’ve got the Lark Bunting but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one.
@Kyeh Dad lived in the Lark Bunting state for 78 years, hiking, fishing, hunting and spending lots of time in the wilderness. Told me he thought they were a myth as he never saw one. Told me they picked it because someone was pushing for the magpie as the state bird.
@carwinew That’s funny! I sure see plenty of obnoxious magpies around. They could have picked the Stellar’s Jay - those are kind of pushy but they’re neat looking and seen up in the mountains. Or the Redwing Blackbird, those are cool. @smyle You’re lucky!
Birds aren’t real
New York - Just the middle finger.
@edwardsm6 Sounds like ill-annoy too.
PA - The Ruffed Grouse. Have to love the name.
The Shit Hawk, official bird of the state of disorder.
I just came here to say that Crows are assholes. That is all.
Eastern/willow/American goldfinch (Iowa, New Jersey, and Washington)
This is also a reminder that not all midwestern states have the cardinal as their state bird.
The Loon of Minnesota. Explains a lot.
@hchavers Ever seen one in a tree? Hilarious.
@hchavers
Loons are awesome birds and glad I’m in Minnesota
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!
@CodTheBeast How many states can claim a Pro Wrestler for a Governor and Comedian for a Senator?
Recently moved to Oklahoma and discovered the scissor-tailed flycatcher. Sooo pretty.
/image scissor-tailed flycatcher
Larry- Indiana
@ebatch ISWYDT
/image firebird
For every redneck state in the South.
/image grackle
For shotgun practice.
@2many2no bastards keep crappin’ in my pool!
@2many2no @medz ummm. That was me.
@2many2no @accelerator
bastard!
As stated in another thread, pelicans are badasses.
Mosquito : New Jersey state bird
@davea510 I think that applies to multiple states.
Our state bird is the mockingbird: It can sing more different tunes than Miley Cyrus, is a staunch defender of its nest and nestlings, and intelligent enough to recognize and remember individual people (maybe Joe Biden could learn that from one.) It is said that Thomas Jefferson kept one as a pet.
I originally disliked them and thought of them as a nuisance, and used to claim that they were made the state bird to keep people from killing them off.
Then I rescued a chick that had been blown out of a tree, along with its nest, and landed close to a fire ant bed. I hate fire ants and was not about to let them have that free meal, and took the bird in and raised it, feeding it berries, small mealy worms sold as bait, and later tiny grasshoppers I caught in the yard. I guess I imprinted on it, for it learned to fly over to me when it was hungry. It would also come to me when I whistled the iconic first 4 notes of Beethoven’s fifth! I guess it associated the notes with food.
With the grasshoppers, I went in stages: I first hand fed it one at a time; then put them into a cup, turned it sideways and let the bird crawl in after them; then would throw a hand full of the hoppers onto the lawn to stun them and let the bird learn to go after them. Soon it would go after them all on its own.
When I was sure it could feed itself, I put it up onto a branch of a pear tree in my back yard. For a few days it would fly over to me when I was out in the yard, then I was never sure I saw it again. I always hoped it wasn’t caught by one of the many cats or hawks we had in the neighborhood.
That was six, maybe seven years ago.
@phendrick that’s a wonderful story - I love mockingbirds, we have a resident pair that are back this spring, screwing with the other birds by imitating their songs …
Kind of partial to NY
/image eastern blue bird
But I do like the Connecticut
/image lark bunting
Just for the name, Hawaii
/image nene bird
Enjoying our feeder that has attracted
/image Baltimore Oriole bird
But for pure coolness, I have to go with the New Mexico
/image roadrunner
Honorable mention to a non-state bird
/image indigo bunting
Y’all are in Texas and left out the mocking bird. It literally makes fun of other birds all day while viciously dive bombing anything that come too close to its nest.
Utah’s state bird is the California gull which tells you nearly everything you need to know about Utah.
South Dakota’s ring necked pheasant is gorgeous especially in flight. You can hunt it as a bonus, well in certain states. Great tasting meat, tie fishing flies with the feathers, catch fish and have more protein to eat.
Coolest looking wild bird I ever saw in person was a small flock of yellow-tailed cedar waxwings that perched in a tree a few yards from me while I was up on my roof replacing a few damaged shingles.
They wear masks (don’t do social-distancing, though). Note pastel yellow on belly and brighter yellow at tip of tail. Look closely for the little spot of orange-red on the wings.
@phendrick I love cedar waxwings. So classy looking.
@phendrick @tweezak They make a wonderful sound, too! Kind of like super-high-pitched crickets.
@Kyeh @tweezak https://www.gazettenet.com/earth-matters-13993864
@phendrick @tweezak Interesting! That explains why they’re not seen very often, too.
I’m kinda partial to a nice pair of bouncing boobies, myself…
@shahnm
or these
@chienfou @shahnm nice pecs
The Minnesota Common Loon takes it for me. One of my favorite sounds ever. Lots of great memories in a canoe listening to their calls up close.
@thebigtverberg yep. That is one amazing sound out across a lake!
I love the Western Meadowlark - it sounds like summer to me - but it’s not my state’s bird.
/image western meadowlark
We’ve got the Lark Bunting but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one.
@Kyeh It is my state’s bird
@Kyeh Dad lived in the Lark Bunting state for 78 years, hiking, fishing, hunting and spending lots of time in the wilderness. Told me he thought they were a myth as he never saw one. Told me they picked it because someone was pushing for the magpie as the state bird.
@carwinew That’s funny! I sure see plenty of obnoxious magpies around. They could have picked the Stellar’s Jay - those are kind of pushy but they’re neat looking and seen up in the mountains. Or the Redwing Blackbird, those are cool. @smyle You’re lucky!
Pennsylvania, Ruffed Grouse. Great hunting and outstanding challenges for the dogs!
Wisconsin: The Robin
Robin
/image ks meadowlark
I’m a Texan, but I love Oklahoma’s Scissor-tailed flycatcher.
hey, i like cardinals. sentimental since my maternal grandparents always liked them. i also love robins.
i live in boston now but i must give props to the state bird of my original home, none other than the rhode island red:
the black capped chickadee is a handsome little fuzzy fellow though:
Of course, the best is the National Bird of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Maryland-Baltimore Oriole
A bird
A baseball team
The cardinal is the state bird of Virginia and North Carolina, too, so it’s not just the Midwest.
But it is the state bird of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, so it’s got a big chunk of the Midwest.
Roadrunner
The state bird of New York is the middle finger.
@OnionSoup as noted above…