State Birds
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Nebraska Symbols
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Nebraska State Bird
Western Meadowlark
(turnella neglecta)
Adopted on March 22, 1929.
The western meadowlark is about nine inches long. It has a brown and black back and wings and a bright yellow
chest with a black V on it. The meadowlark's colors may be a little duller in winter. It has a long pointed bill.
The western meadowlark is very similar to the eastern meadowlark.
At a Nebraska Federation of Women's Clubs (NFWC) convention at Kearney on Oct. 25, 1928, the following resolution
was proposed:
Whereas, the Conservation division of NFWC endorses the suggesstion
of the General Federation chairman of the division of Wild Life to choose for Nebraska a state bird, therefore be
it resolved, that a bird typical of the prairies and abundant in all parts of the state be chosen by this convention
assembled and the result combined with the vote of the school children of the state and interested societies to
be presented to the next session of the State Legislature for legal acceptance.
Once the resolution was adopted, a list of birds was submitted. The five birds receiving the highest votes were
the western meadowlark, robin, bobwhite, brown thrasher and house wren.
At the request of the N.F.W.C., Rep. F. C. Rundle of Hamilton County introduced a joint and concurrent resolutation
declaring the western meadowlark the state bird. Then-governor Adam McMullen signed the bill on March 22, 1929.
Source: Nebraska Bluebook, 1994-95, pg. 24.
Description:
- Length: 8.5 inches
- Sharply-pointed bill
- Buff and brown head stripes
- Yellow underparts with black "v" on breast
- White flanks with black streaks
- Brown upperparts with black streaks
- Brown tail with white outer tail feathers
- Juvenile and winter plumages somewhat duller
- Frequents open habitats
There are few song birds on the Great Plains whose melodic call can evocate such delight and joy as the Western
Meadowlark. Undoubtedly that's why it was selected as the State Bird.
The western meadowlark is abundant throughout the state and is noted for its joyous song. The birds are eight
to 11 inches long and are brown and streaked above, with bright yellow underparts interrupted by a bold crescent
of black across the upper breast, and white outer tail feathers. The birds nest on the ground in grassy fields or
meadows and feed largely on insects.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
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| Kingdom |
Animalia -- animals |
| Phylum |
Chordata -- chordates |
| Subphylum |
Vertebrata -- vertebrates |
| Class |
Aves -- birds |
| Order |
Passeriformes -- perching birds |
| Family |
Fringillidae -- buntings, finches, grosbeaks, old world finches, sparrows |
| Genus |
Sturnella Vieillot, 1816 -- meadowlarks |
| Species |
Sturnella neglecta Audubon, 1844 -- Pradero occidental, western meadowlark |
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Official State Birds
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Bird:
a. Any of the class Aves of warm-blooded, egg-laying, feathered vertebrates with forelimbs modified to form wings.
b. Such an animal hunted as game.
c. Such an animal, especially a chicken or turkey, used as food
State Bird:
a. Bird selected (as by the legislature) as an emblem of a state of the United States.
NOTE: Many states have more than one official bird, or have designate state birds more specifically.
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