West Virginia State Bird
Adoption of the West Virginia State Bird
Before there was a West Virginia, there was a Virginia. But when it comes to state birds, West Virginia adopted the cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) before Virginia.
Nature Magazine reported, in 1932, that the tufted titmouse would probably be considered for official adoption as the official state bird of West Virginia. After all, the West Virginia Federated Women's Clubs had selected it as their state bird.
The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) won the honors however, in 1949. According to the West Virginia Legislature, the cardinal was adopted by House Concurrent Resolution No. 12, on March 7, 1949.
The West Virginia Code
Adopted by House Concurrent Resolution, the cardinal is not documented as the official bird of the state in the West Virginia Code.
Cardinalis cardinalis (Northern Cardinal): University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web.
State Bird List: List of all of the state birds.
A Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America: Peterson Field Guide: Roger Tory Peterson.
State Birds & Flowers 1000-pc Puzzle: Created at the request of The National Wildlife Federation this design is a beautiful and informative puzzle featuring every state bird perched on the appropriate state flower.
Bird Feeders and Accessories: Backyard Birding > Bird Feeders & Accessories from Amazon.com.
State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols: A Historical Guide, Third Edition - Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer, Greenwood Press, 2002
State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and Other Symbols: A Study based on historical documents giving the origin and significance of the state names, nicknames, mottoes, seals, flowers, birds, songs, and descriptive comments on the capitol buildings and on some of the leading state histories, Revised Edition - George Earlie Shankle, Ph.D., The H.W. Wilson Company, 1938 (Reprint Services Corp. 1971)
Source: West Virginia Legislature, (http://www.legis.state.wv.us/), April 17, 2005
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