A Re-examination of Previously Lame State Bird Selection
By Kevin Reed
The other day I was looking up what the state bird was in Ohio. It’s the Northern Cardinal. I thought that was the end of it, but as I was closing out the page, I noticed that the Northern Cardinal is also the state bird of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia! They all picked the same bird! How lame is that? Are people so unimaginative and bright-object-oriented (BOO) that they can’t appreciate other regional birds?
Maybe it’s not so simple to rush to judgement. When you look back at the timing of when the cardinal was appointed across these states (late 19th and early 20th centuries), it makes a bit of sense. Cardinals are bright red and beautiful, called “redbird” in Kentucky and named when settlers compared the bird’s plumage to the robes of Cardinals of the Catholic Church. They are common throughout the eastern US. They’re energetic backyard visitors and kids and adults alike love ‘em. When parents and kids love something, it’s tough to get past that.
And, apparently cardinals have religious symbolism as well. The bird is believed by some to be a visitor from Heaven; a symbol of beauty in darkness; a symbol of the Holy Spirit; a symbol of Christ’s living blood. I mean, it’s got a lot going for it, human-perception-wise.
Plus, there was a time in our history when people didn’t think much about things like birds beyond as food, as pests, bright ones, or really ugly ones, and that, for most people, seemed about it. Likely this is still the case for a lot of folks today. You still have people today that “hate crows,” for whatever reason. Or someone who will say, “Oh look, a bird,” when that creature is clearly a robin, sparrow, hawk, or nuthatch.
But ultimately, if the cardinal is the “state bird” in seven states, why bother with "state” bird in that case? Just make the cardinal a "Regional Bird," spanning those states and maybe just a bunch more states all around those states. What’s special about it if six other states have the same bird?
The neglected Prairie Warbler , just one example of a great potential would-be State Bird bumped aside by shallow cardinal favoritism.
But here’s the thing! You know how many cool birds there are? Any of these states could stand out and do better with the Blackburnian Warbler as their state bird or the Indigo Bunting, Eastern Bluebird, Great Horned Owl, Red Wing Blackbird, American Redstart, Prairie Warbler, Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Barn Swallow, American Goldfinch, Tufted Titmouse, Cedar Waxwing, Red-Tailed Hawk, Scarlet Tanager, White-Breasted Nuthatch, Purple Martin, Osprey, Gray Catbird, or Peregrine Falcon - just to name a few!
This a great chance for states to promote local STEM ideas around a new state bird they select, and shining a light on previously ignored local species and regional science topics.
We’ve come a long way in 100 years. We know more stuff. We appreciate more. We’re learning all the time, every day dammit. It might be high time (?) to re-think the cardinal as the end-all of state birds, and start thinking about some more creative options that are specific to one of these states, while shining a light on what is sure to be a fascinating bird species that residents can discover, learn more about, and take pride in.
Photo of Northern Cardinal by Joshua J. Cotten on Unsplash
Photo of neglected Prairie Warbler by wikimedia
NOTE: Whether or not to capitalize bird names is not as cut and dry as one might think. Some bird pages capitalize the formal name, while Wikipedia does not. The scientific Binomial Naming System is capitalized. I went with a mixed approach.
