Can You Guess the Official State Bird of All 50 States?

Morgan CutoloUpdated: Jun. 28, 2022

Cardinals, robins, and wrens, oh my! Take this quiz to see if you can correctly guess the official state bird for each state.

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Alabama

Hint: This is a common species present year round in Alabama. You’ll also want to check out these dazzling bird photos.

Courtesy Janine Martin/Birds & Blooms

Alabama

Answer: Northern Flicker

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Alaska

Hint: This bird is known for having feathered toes and changing from light brown in the summer months to snow white in the winter.

Troutnut/Shutterstock

Alaska

Answer: Willow Ptarmigan

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Arizona

Hint: This white, brown, and black bird was officially adopted at the state bird in 1931.

Courtesy Diane Barone/Birds & Blooms

Arizona

Answer: Cactus Wren

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Arkansas

Hint: This gray and white bird with an ear-catching tune also appears in the title of a very famous Harper Lee novel.

David Spates/Shutterstock

Arkansas

Answer: Northern Mockingbird

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California

Hint: This state bird is known for being plump and small. It’s also a very prized game bird.

Cezary Wojtkowski/Shutterstock

California

Answer: California Quail

Colorado

Hint: Colorado’s state bird is part of the sparrow family. It’s well known for its courtship dance and song.

Colorado

Answer: Lark Bunting

Connecticut

Hint: This bird is one of America’s favorite songbirds. It’s also in the name of a popular burger joint.

Courtesy Linda Rappel

Connecticut

Answer: American Robin

Delaware

Hint: This state bird is actually a chicken. It’s also the mascot for the University of Delaware.

Delaware

Answer: Blue Hen Chicken

Florida

Hint: Florida has the same state bird as Arkansas.

Courtesy Rick Cafiero

Florida

Answer: Mockingbird

Georgia

Hint: The governor declared this the state bird in 1935, it wasn’t publicly recognized as the state bird until 1970.

Courtesy Saundra Schuler

Georgia

Answer: Brown Thrasher

Hawaii

Hint: Hawaii’s state bird is a land bird that is a variety of Hawaiian Goose. It’s claw-like feet and modified wing structure help it adapt to island life.

Hawaii

Answer: Nene

Idaho

Hint: This pretty colored bird can be found in the mountains of Idaho. See if you can guess the U.S. state by its flag.

Courtesy Neal Zaun

Idaho

Answer: Mountain Bluebird

Illinois

Hint: This very popular red bird is also the state bird for six other states.

Cardinal on a snowy branch surrounded by red berries

Courtesy Paul Hersey

Illinois

Answer: Northern Cardinal

Indiana

Hint: Indiana’s state bird is one of the six other states that share a state bird with Illinois.

Courtesy Ronald Washington

Indiana

Answer: Northern Cardinal

Iowa

Hint: The male species of this bird is very bright. They like to eat seeds from dandelions, sunflowers, ragweed, and evening primrose.

Courtesy Hannah Jones

Iowa

Answer: American Goldfinch

Kansas

Hint: The state bird of Kansas is a familiar songbird. Do you know what it is? See if you can guess the U.S. state from its nickname.

A Western Meadowlark perched on shrub, Colorado, spring time.

Kansas

Answer: Western Meadowlark

Kentucky

Hint: This bird is known for its “cheer cheer cheer,” “whit-chew whit-chew” and “purdy purdy purdy” whistles.

Courtesy Kerry Loving

Kentucky

Answer: Northern Cardinal

Louisiana

Hint: If you know Louisiana’s nickname, you’ll know their state bird. It also appears on the state flag and seal.

Endangered Brown Pelican Latin name Pelecanus occidentalis

Louisiana

Answer: Brown Pelican

Maine

Hint: This common backyard bird is a member of the titmouse family.

closeup of black-capped chickadee in the forest of the randall davey audobon center and sanctuary near santa fe, new mexico

Maine

Answer: Black-Capped Chickadee

Maryland

Hint: Think about the name of the well-known baseball team from Baltimore.

Courtesy Spencer Lingenfelter

Maryland

Answer: Baltimore Oriole

Massachusetts

Hint: Massachusetts shares a state bird with Maine.

Courtesy John Piznuir

Massachusetts

Answer: Black-Capped Chickadee

Michigan

Hint: These birds are often seen pulling up earthworms in your backyard.

Courtesy C. Denise Maples

Michigan

Answer: American Robin

Minnesota

Hint: The state bird of Minnesota can be found in and around lakes. They are known for their eerie cries, wails, and yodels.

Minnesota

Answer: Common Loon

Mississippi

Hint: This talented bird can sing up to 200 songs, some of which include the songs of other birds, and insect and amphibian sounds.

Mississippi

Answer: Mockingbird

Missouri

Hint: This blue and reddish-orange bird has a short tail and chunky body.

Courtesy CIndy Emery

Missouri

Answer: Eastern Bluebird

Montana

Hint: This state bird was actually chosen by Montana’s school children. It has a yellow breast and a black spot on the throat.

Montana

Answer: Western Meadowlark

Nebraska

Hint: Nebraska’s state bird has a black and white striped head, yellow cheeks, and a bright yellow throat.

Courtesy Jake Bonello

Nebraska

Answer: Western Meadowlark

Nevada

Hint: Nevada shares a state bird with Idaho.

Male mountain bluebird sitting on a branch

Nevada

Answer: Mountain Bluebird

New Hampshire

Hint: The bird of this New England state has the color “purple” in its name.

Courtesy Rosemarie Pace

New Hampshire

Answer: Purple Finch

New Jersey

Hint: This bird is also known as a wild canary or willow goldfinch.

Courtesy Ashton F.

New Jersey

Answer: American Goldfinch

New Mexico

Hint: New Mexico’s state bird is also a popular cartoon that runs really fast.

New Mexico

Answer: Greater Roadrunner

New York

Hint: New York shares a state bird with Missouri.

Male Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) on a perch with a green background

New York

Answer: Eastern Bluebird

North Carolina

Hint: The male species of this state bird is a brilliant red color.

A male cardinal sits on the branch of a plum tree covered in pink blooms.

Courtesy Trina Ansel

North Carolina

Answer: Northern Cardinal

North Dakota

Hint: This bird can be spotted on the western side of the continent (from Wisconsin down to Texas and over to the Pacific). It’s also in the same family as blackbirds and Orioles.

Courtesy Elisabeth Bickerton

North Dakota

Answer: Western Meadowlark

Ohio

Hint: Ohio shares a state bird with Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Courtesy Michelle Summers

Ohio

Answer: Northern Cardinal

Oklahoma

Hint: This beautiful and graceful state bird is known for its scissor-tail.

An elegant Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) sitting on a wire.

Oklahoma

Answer: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Oregon

Hint: You can often find this bird perched on fenceposts in grasslands.

Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) perched on a wooden post against a soft green background

Oregon

Answer: Western Meadowlark

Pennsylvania

Hint: This bird, sometimes called the partridge, thrives in severe winter weather.

Pennsylvania

Answer: Ruffed Grouse

Rhode Island

Hint: This bird is actually pretty easy to guess because the state is in its name.

Rhode Island

Answer: Rhode Island Red

South Carolina

Hint: The state name is also in this bird’s name. This brownish-red bird has white stripes over the eyes.

Courtesy Benjamin Cash

South Carolina

Answer: Carolina Wren

South Dakota

Hint: This beautiful state bird has iridescent feathers, a red face, and a white stripe around its neck.

Male Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus ) - Victoria BC, Canada

South Dakota

Answer: Ring-Necked Pheasant

Tennessee

Hint: This songbird is another popular one. Do you know what it is?

Tennessee

Answer: Mockingbird

Texas

Hint: Texas has the same state bird as Tennessee (and a few other states).

Courtesy Kathryn Smith

Texas

Answer: Mockingbird

Utah

Hint: This heroic state bird helped to control the cricket population, which was ruining the crops in 1848.

California Gull (Larus californicus) Calling. Shoreline Lake, Santa Clara County, California, USA

Utah

Answer: California Gull

Vermont

Hint: This small brown bird has a lovely, melancholy song.

Singing Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) in spring migrant sitting in tree

Vermont

Answer: Hermit Thrush

Virginia

Hint: Virginia shares a state bird with Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Courtesy Sarah Geiger

Virginia

Answer: Northern Cardinal

Washington

Hint: The male species of this bird has a bright yellow body and black wings, the female species is more muted with an olive-yellow body and brown tail.

Courtesy Susan Ferency

Washington

Answer: American goldfinch

West Virginia

Hint: West Virginia has the same state bird as Virginia and five other states.

Courtesy Stephanie Schick

West Virginia

Answer: Northern Cardinal

Wisconsin

Hint: Wisconsin shares a state bird with Connecticut and Michigan.

Courtesy David Heilman

Wisconsin

Answer: American Robin

Wyoming

Hint: The state bird of Wyoming is the same as Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Oregon.

Western Meadowlark Poised in the Sunshine

Wyoming

Answer: Western Meadowlark

Originally Published: August 04, 2020

Originally Published on Reader's Digest

Morgan Cutolo

Morgan is the Assistant Digital Managing Editor at Reader’s Digest. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2016 where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. When she’s not writing for rd.com or keeping the 650+ pieces of content our team produces every month organized, she likes watching HGTV, going on Target runs, and searching through Instagram to find new corgi accounts to follow.