• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

What US State Birds should be... (1 Viewer)

Xenospiza said:
Washington DC then?
Click to expand...

That might work!

I'm trying to think of the different birds I know and what characteristics I'd give them. For example, American Robins strike me as very industrious, protective of the kids and not willing to be freedoaded on.

Having 2-3 broods a year, the male and female both do the work. They divebomb any critter that they see as a threat to the nest and do not tolerate the cowbird freeloading on them and toss the cowbird egg out.

What state would be characterized like that? Hmmm....
 
crazyfingers said:
An invasive species brought from Europe in the 1900's by Shakespeare fans? Competes with native birds for nesting holes. Sometimes known to be parasitic on other starling nests?

Could be.... :)
Click to expand...

There you go. Sorted. ;)

Chris (who's family couldn't be bothered getting off the boat at the other end )
 
chris butterworth said:
I have heard there are (unofficial ) county birds for the UK, I dread to think what they would be. :eek!:
Chris
Click to expand...
I don't know how large the UK counties are, but in my country/state I guess some administrative regions would get several excellent species to choose from* and others would have to be satisfied with magpies and crows... and if voting, many would choose Golden Eagle or Peregrine Falcon so that same-name thing would happen here as well.

*we have places inofficially called "stork village", "long-eared owl town" etc. (because they have large(r) populations of said species) and our city has an unofficial "mascot" of House Sparrow; regarding the actual bird-related toponyms, there are (in our language) Falcon Rock, Buzzard Mt. and a town named after an unspecified raptor as nobody knows which species was intended back in Middle Ages when the town was named (when they made their coat of arms they chose two Harris Hawks, which are actually American species)
 
snowyowl said:
Great article. I don't agree with A. Flamingo for Florida. Great Egret or Snowy Egret would be more appropriate, I think. I think that NY should use the European Starling as I believe that is where they were introduced and NY should carry that guilt for ever.;)
Click to expand...

Hello Snowyowl,

I believe that an Englishman was guilty of actually introducing the starling in New York. Let the truly guilty be held responsible.

In any case, as other states have named the Eastern bluebird as a state bird, New Yorkers should chose a beneficial bird, a woodpecker or a nuthatch. My nominee is the red bellied woodpecker.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
 
Pinewood said:
I believe that an Englishman was guilty of actually introducing the starling in New York. Let the truly guilty be held responsible
Click to expand...

Hi Arthur,

After seeing the effects of 'introductions'throughout the world I was prepared to hang my head in shame and say, on behalf of the UK, mea culpa to the introduction of Starlings to Nth. America but Eugene Schifferlin was born in New York I'm afraid. BTW, I think the city of New York couldn't do worse than pick Red-tailed Hawk. I, and many foreign birders, fondly remember watching the rather famous bird just outside Central Park.

Chris
 
Last edited:
crazyfingers said:
I've always had an issue with he official US bird being the bald eagle. While it's an impressive large and fearsome looking thing, it's also a disreputable thief making a habit of stealing fish from honest Osprey who got his fish by his own work and other dastardly plots.
Click to expand...

On the other hand, at the end of Snake Bight Trail near Flamingo in the Everglades, I saw a Turkey Vulture bully an immature Bald Eagle away from a fish, which the vulture began to eat, pausing only to threaten the eagle when it ventured too close!

I would need to ask my American friends which US State would be best represented by a Burrowing Owl, whose outlook is often limited...;) Would it be a Red or Blue State, I wonder?
MJB
 
chris butterworth said:
No,Chris. No. You can't have a Banana plant as the state bird of California. ;)

Chris
Click to expand...

Awesome. Actually - where I live the state bird would be a 10 foot high marijuana plant surrounded by 50 others. October is one stinky time - even in our down town. We be in a transition of late - here in the colonies.
 
Funny how he slams South Dakota for choosing an exotic, and then suggests Himalayan Snowcock for Nevada (I'm with fugl on that one, terrible idea).

Personally, I like both Northern Mockingbirds and Northern Cardinals, and I think they are fine choices for some states, even if a little repetitive. I don't think every state needs to choose a rare or "interesting" bird, when common birds are perfectly iconic and loved by laypeople. I do like the idea of Kirtland's warbler for Michigan though, perhaps designating some of the rare birds as state birds would help raise awareness among the general public.

What does he have against Cactus Wren? I think they're very neat. Red-faced Warbler is a localized summer resident, really more of a Mexican bird.
 
fugl said:
A truly revolting idea, right up there with Ring-necked Pheasant for South Dakota (or whoever, too much trouble to look it up) and domestic chicken for Rhode Island!
Click to expand...
I'll explain why I liked Himalayan Snowcock: to me it has connotations with Las Vegas “artificial and put there for financial gain” and with the military bases which occupy most of the state “impossible to reach”.

But bear with me: the national flower of the Netherlands must be the tulip, which is not a native species either...
 
Warning! This thread is more than 11 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

G
  • Article
Timing Is Everything & A Birding Hard Reset
Replies
0
Views
157
Green Sandpiper
G
MohoNobilis
Disappointment and Chaos - Back In Hong Kong
Replies
3
Views
769
delia todd
delia todd
A
What are the most interesting wildlife that you've seen in YOUR HOUSE?
2
Replies
22
Views
1K
emc
emc
Troubador
Surprises Through my Zeisses: a Postscript
Replies
2
Views
1K
Troubador
Troubador
dwatsonbirder
Kowa TSN-501 - a brief review
Replies
10
Views
3K
Hermann
Hermann

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top