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State Bird Checklist

Every official US state bird, with the scientific name you’d check against a field guide. Tick them off as you see them.

All 50 states are covered by just 28 distinct species. The Northern Cardinal alone is the state bird of 7 states, so a single good morning at the feeder can knock several off at once.

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Official state bird of each US state and the District of Columbia
SeenStateBirdScientific name
AlabamaYellowhammer (Northern Flicker)Colaptes auratus
AlaskaWillow PtarmiganLagopus lagopus
ArizonaCactus WrenCampylorhynchus brunneicapillus
ArkansasNorthern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
CaliforniaCalifornia QuailCallipepla californica
ColoradoLark BuntingCalamospiza melanocorys
ConnecticutAmerican RobinTurdus migratorius
DelawareDelaware Blue HenDomestic breed, not a wild speciesGallus gallus domesticus
FloridaNorthern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
GeorgiaBrown ThrasherToxostoma rufum
HawaiiNēnē (Hawaiian Goose)Branta sandvicensis
IdahoMountain BluebirdSialia currucoides
IllinoisNorthern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
IndianaNorthern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
IowaAmerican GoldfinchSpinus tristis
KansasWestern MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta
KentuckyNorthern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
LouisianaBrown PelicanPelecanus occidentalis
MaineBlack-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus
MarylandBaltimore OrioleIcterus galbula
MassachusettsBlack-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus
MichiganAmerican RobinTurdus migratorius
MinnesotaCommon LoonGavia immer
MississippiNorthern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
MissouriEastern BluebirdSialia sialis
MontanaWestern MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta
NebraskaWestern MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta
NevadaMountain BluebirdSialia currucoides
New HampshirePurple FinchHaemorhous purpureus
New JerseyAmerican GoldfinchSpinus tristis
New MexicoGreater RoadrunnerGeococcyx californianus
New YorkEastern BluebirdSialia sialis
North CarolinaNorthern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
North DakotaWestern MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta
OhioNorthern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
OklahomaScissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatus
OregonWestern MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta
PennsylvaniaRuffed GrouseBonasa umbellus
Rhode IslandRhode Island RedDomestic breed, not a wild speciesGallus gallus domesticus
South CarolinaCarolina WrenThryothorus ludovicianus
South DakotaRing-necked PheasantIntroduced speciesPhasianus colchicus
TennesseeNorthern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
TexasNorthern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
UtahCalifornia GullLarus californicus
VermontHermit ThrushCatharus guttatus
VirginiaNorthern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
WashingtonAmerican GoldfinchSpinus tristis
West VirginiaNorthern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
WisconsinAmerican RobinTurdus migratorius
WyomingWestern MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta
District of Columbia(not a state)Wood ThrushHylocichla mustelina

Birds claimed by more than one state

8 species are shared, which is why 28 birds cover all 50 states.

  • Northern Cardinal7 states — IL, IN, KY, NC, OH, VA, WV
  • Western Meadowlark6 states — KS, MT, NE, ND, OR, WY
  • Northern Mockingbird5 states — AR, FL, MS, TN, TX
  • American Robin3 states — CT, MI, WI
  • American Goldfinch3 states — IA, NJ, WA
  • Mountain Bluebird2 states — ID, NV
  • Black-capped Chickadee2 states — ME, MA
  • Eastern Bluebird2 states — MO, NY

Happy Birding · happybirding.com · Checked against each state’s official designation.

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