state bird

noun

1. a bird chosen as an official symbol of a U.S. state.

Word History and Origins

Origin of state bird¹

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Example Sentences

Starkey hopes the snake ends up like another animal that nearly went extinct but has since rebounded — Hawaii’s state bird, the Nēnē.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That year, the Nēnē was named the state bird, bringing more attention to conservation efforts and funding to captive breeding in order to release the bird back into the wild.

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It remains to be seen if the mutations necessary to make bird flu a pandemic will occur, but in its current state bird flu still remains a complex threat that involves several different federal agencies’ response.

Read more on Salon

The shy bird plays an important role in the food chain by preying on rodents, snakes and other pests and is also the state bird of Rajasthan, where it is called 'Godawan' by locals.

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Officials didn’t pick any of the most popular designs submitted online that included options like a loon — the state bird — with lasers for eyes.

Read more on Seattle Times