U.S. State Flags with Animals: Bears, Birds, Bison, and More
California's extinct grizzly, Wyoming's bison, Louisiana's pelican, and Oregon's reverse-side beaver show how animals appear on flags.
U.S. State Flags with Animals: Bears, Birds, Bison, and More
Collection - Flags
Wyoming's flag is one of the boldest animal designs in American vexillology — a white bison silhouette that dominates the entire blue field, with the state seal imprinted on the bison's body.
Quick Answer
What matters most
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More than a dozen US state flags feature animals — from California's grizzly bear and Wyoming's American bison to Louisiana's brown pelican and Wisconsin's badger.
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California and Wyoming are the only states with a single dominant animal as the primary flag design. All other state animals appear within incorporated state seals or coats of arms.
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Oregon's beaver appears only on the reverse side of its two-sided flag — the front shows the state seal. Oregon is the only US state with two different flag designs.
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The 2024 flag redesigns for Minnesota and Utah removed animals from their flags. Both new designs use geometric symbols and no longer display state seals.
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Nine state flags feature the bald eagle — the most common animal on US state flags by a wide margin.
U.S. State Flags with Animals: Bears, Birds, Bison, and More
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Flag
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Animal
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State
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Animal Featured
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What It Represents
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Position on Flag
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Flag Adopted
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California
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California Grizzly Bear | Independence and defiance — born from the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt against Mexican rule | Center — walking left across a green grass strip, dominant flag element | 1911 |
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Wyoming
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American Bison | Frontier heritage and wildlife conservation — the bison nearly went extinct before Wyoming made it its emblem | Center — large white silhouette carrying the state seal on its body | 1917 |
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Louisiana
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Brown Pelican | Self-sacrifice and parental devotion — the medieval 'pelican in her piety' symbol of a parent feeding young with her own blood | Center — pelican in her piety feeding chicks in a nest on a blue field | 1912 |
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Oregon
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North American Beaver | Industry and resourcefulness — beavers drove the fur trade that opened the Pacific Northwest to settlement | Reverse side only — golden beaver on navy blue; obverse shows state seal with eagle | 1925 |
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Maine
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Moose | Wilderness and northwoods identity — the moose represents Maine's vast forests and frontier character | Center of state coat of arms — reclining beneath a pine tree | 1909 |
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Missouri
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Grizzly Bear (×2 as shield-holders + 1 on shield) | Strength and bravery of Missouri's frontier citizens — chosen by the legislature in 1822 to project power | State seal at center — two bears as heraldic shield-supporters | 1913 |
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Michigan
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Elk & Moose | Great Lakes wilderness heritage — two native megafauna representing the region's wild landscape | State coat of arms — elk on left, moose on right as heraldic shield-supporters | 1911 |
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Wisconsin
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Badger | Tenacity and hard labor — miners who dug into hillsides for shelter earned Wisconsin the 'Badger State' nickname | Top of state coat of arms — perched directly above the state shield | 1863 |
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Delaware
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Ox (Bull) | Agricultural heritage and the farming economy that sustained Delaware's colonial communities | Lower-left quarter of state coat of arms shield | 1913 |
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Idaho
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Elk & Horse | Rocky Mountain wildlife and frontier ranching culture that shaped Idaho's economy and identity | State coat of arms — elk head as crest above shield; horse in supporting imagery | 1907 |
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Interactive Map: US State Flags Featuring Animals
Animal imagery ranges from dominant flag designs in California and Wyoming to tiny seal details such as Missouri's bears and Wyoming's seal eagle.
"Animal figures on state flags usually enter through one of two routes: a dominant standalone design, as in California and Wyoming, or a state seal detail, as in Missouri, Maine, Wisconsin, Delaware, and Idaho."
California and Wyoming: Animal-First Flag Designs
Two US state flags place a single mammal at the center of the design rather than inside a seal: California's grizzly bear and Wyoming's American bison.
California: The Grizzly Bear
The California state flag features a California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos californicus) walking across a white field above the words CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC. The design traces to the Bear Flag Revolt of June 14, 1846, and was standardized in 1953 from illustrations of Monarch, the last California grizzly in captivity. The California grizzly has been extinct since 1922.
Wyoming: The American Bison
Wyoming's flag shows a large white American bison (Bison bison) silhouette at center on a blue field, framed by a red and white border. The bison carries the state seal on its body. Verna Keays of Buffalo, Wyoming designed it after winning a 1916 Daughters of the American Revolution contest; the flag was adopted on January 31, 1917. The bison is also the national mammal of the United States (since 2016) and the state mammal of Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
Timeline
The Great Seal of the United States is adopted, placing the bald eagle at the center of American national identity. Nine current state flags eventually inherit eagle imagery through seals or coats of arms.
The Great Seal of the United States is adopted, placing the bald eagle at the center of American national identity. Nine current state flags eventually inherit eagle imagery through seals or coats of arms.
Louisiana's territorial seal is adopted, featuring the pelican-in-her-piety. The pelican has been Louisiana's symbol since the French colonial era and will appear on the state flag from 1912.
Maine enters the Union as the 23rd state. The state coat of arms adopted at statehood features a moose reclining beneath a pine tree — a design that will persist for over 200 years.
Maine enters the Union as the 23rd state. The state coat of arms adopted at statehood features a moose reclining beneath a pine tree — a design that will persist for over 200 years.
Missouri adopts its state seal featuring two grizzly bears as heraldic shield-holders. The bears represent frontier strength and will appear on Missouri's flag when it is adopted in 1913.
The Bear Flag Revolt. American settlers raise a handmade grizzly bear flag in Sonoma, declaring the California Republic. The grizzly becomes California's defining emblem.
The Bear Flag Revolt. American settlers raise a handmade grizzly bear flag in Sonoma, declaring the California Republic. The grizzly becomes California's defining emblem.
Wisconsin adopts its state flag with the coat of arms featuring a badger on top — the Badger State's defining heraldic animal.
California officially adopts the Bear Flag as its state flag, featuring the California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos californicus) — a subspecies that will be declared extinct just eleven years later.
California officially adopts the Bear Flag as its state flag, featuring the California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos californicus) — a subspecies that will be declared extinct just eleven years later.
Wyoming adopts its state flag featuring a white American bison silhouette designed by Verna Keays — one of the boldest and cleanest animal flag designs in American vexillology.
Oregon adopts its two-sided flag. The obverse shows the state seal; the reverse shows a golden beaver — the only state flag with two completely different designs.
Oregon adopts its two-sided flag. The obverse shows the state seal; the reverse shows a golden beaver — the only state flag with two completely different designs.
Minnesota and Utah both adopt redesigned state flags that remove animal imagery entirely. Maine holds a statewide referendum on its flag — voters choose to keep the moose and pine tree design.
The Only Two-Sided State Flag: Oregon's Beaver
Oregon holds a unique distinction in American vexillology: it is the only US state with a completely different design on each side of its flag. The obverse side (front) — the side displayed on a standard flag pole — features the state seal on a navy blue background, with a bald eagle at the top of the shield. Turn the flag over, and the eagle is gone. The reverse side shows only a golden beaver on the same navy field.
The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) has been Oregon's official state animal since 1969, but its appearance on the flag predates that designation by 44 years — the beaver was added to the reverse side when the Oregon state flag was adopted in 1925, so that the flag would read clearly from both sides on parade floats and public buildings. Because both faces must be separately printed, Oregon's flag costs more to manufacture than a single-sided design.
Why Does Oregon Have Two Flag Sides?
The two-sided design was a practical decision made at the time of the flag's 1925 adoption. A flag displaying only the state seal on one side would show a mirror image of the seal on the reverse. Oregon instead chose a separate reverse design: the state animal on a plain field. The result is a flag that requires printing two different faces.
US state flags feature animals — from bald eagles and grizzly bears to badgers, beavers, and oxen hidden in state seals.
Flags with Moose, Badgers, and Elk
California's grizzly and Wyoming's bison are impossible to miss. The animals on the next tier are different: a moose reclining inside a coat of arms, an elk head rising above a shield, a badger perched at the apex of heraldic design. You need to know where to look — but they were placed there intentionally.
Maine: The Moose and the 2024 Referendum
Maine's state flag features the state coat of arms on a blue field. At the center of that coat of arms, a moose reclines beneath a pine tree. A farmer and a sailor flank the shield as supporters, and the North Star appears above with the motto Dirigo ('I Lead'). In November 2024, Maine held a statewide flag referendum asking voters whether to adopt a simpler pine tree design. Voters chose to keep the current moose and pine tree design.
Michigan: Elk and Moose as Heraldic Supporters
Michigan's flag shows the state coat of arms on a dark blue field, with an elk on the left and a moose on the right as heraldic shield-supporters. Above the shield, a bald eagle serves as the crest, so Michigan's flag includes three animal figures.
Wisconsin: The Badger Above the Shield
Wisconsin's flag carries the state coat of arms. Directly above the shield sits a badger, matching Wisconsin's 'Badger State' nickname. The nickname traces to lead miners who burrowed into hillsides for winter shelter in the early 19th century.
Agricultural Animals on State Seals
Delaware's ox and Idaho's elk are seal details rather than central flag designs. Both are hard to see at distance, but each is part of the official coat of arms shown on the flag.
Delaware: The Ox
Delaware's flag displays the state coat of arms on a buff diamond background. Inside the central shield, an ox fills the lower-left quadrant. Delaware ratified the US Constitution on December 7, 1787, making it the first state, and the ox points to the livestock and grain farming in the state's early economy.
Idaho: Elk and Horse
Idaho's flag shows the state coat of arms on a blue field, with an elk head as the crest above the central shield. The shield also includes mountains, forests, a steamer on the river, and a woman holding scales and a torch. A horse appears within the wider seal composition. Idaho adopted this flag in 1907.
Missouri: Three Hidden Grizzly Bears
Missouri's flag is a horizontal tricolor of red, white, and blue. The state seal at the center contains three grizzly bears: two stand upright as heraldic shield-holders on either side of the central shield, and a third grizzly appears within the inner shield.
The bears were added to the Missouri state seal in 1822 — one year after statehood — to represent the strength of Missouri's frontier citizens. When the flag was formally adopted in 1913, the seal came with it. From normal flag-viewing distance, the grizzlies disappear into the heraldic detail.
State Flags with Birds: Eagles and Pelicans
Nine US state flags feature the bald eagle — Haliaeetus leucocephalus — embedded in state seals and coats of arms: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Oregon (obverse only), Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. The eagle's presence on these flags traces directly to the Great Seal of the United States (1782), which established the bald eagle as the national emblem.
Louisiana is the only current state flag featuring a bird other than the bald eagle: the brown pelican in the heraldic pose of 'pelican in her piety.' Louisiana inherited this symbol from French colonial heraldry — the pelican appears on Louisiana's territorial seal of 1804, a full eight years before statehood. See US state flags with birds for the ten bird flags and US state flags with eagles for the nine eagle states.
Key Facts About Animal Flags
Quick Answers
Which state flag has a bear on it?
Which state flag has a buffalo (bison) on it?
Do the new Minnesota and Utah flags feature animals?
What US state flag has an animal on both sides?
Which US state flags have animals on them?
What is the only US state flag with a beaver on it?
Which US state flag has a moose on it?
How many US state flags have the bald eagle?
Methodology
How we researched this list
Flags were included when an animal appears in the official design. Sources prioritize state specs and flag references.
Sources
Sources & references
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1
North American Vexillological Association (NAVA)https://nava.org/
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2
Congressional Research Service — The Great Seal of the United Stateshttps://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/98-4
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3
California State Library — State Symbolshttps://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/state-symbols/
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Wyoming Secretary of State — State Flaghttps://sos.wyo.gov/Services/StateInfo_Symbols.aspx
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