State Birds Quiz – Identify All 50 U.S. State Birds

Can you name all 50 U.S. state birds? This free quiz covers every state bird with image questions, tricky 'which state does NOT' rounds, and the stories behind the most unusual choices.

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State Birds Quiz

Test your knowledge of all 50 U.S. state birds — from the famous Cardinal to the oddly specific Delaware Blue Hen — with a quiz that mixes image questions, 'odd one out' rounds, and surprising origin stories.

Classic Practice Timed
Classic: 10 questions, 20 seconds per question, speed-based points.
This round
Classic: 10 questions, 20 seconds per question, speed-based points.
Questions
50
Difficulty
Medium
Randomized rounds Instant answer reveal Replay for a cleaner streak
Created by USA Symbol Team · Updated May 10, 2026 · Verified

The Most Shared State Birds

Some birds are so popular they were adopted by multiple states — often independently, within years of each other.

  • Northern Cardinal — 7 states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia. More states claim the Cardinal than any other bird.
  • Western Meadowlark — 6 states: Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Wyoming. All adopted it between 1927 and 1951.
  • Northern Mockingbird — 5 states: Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas. All five are Southern states.
  • American Robin — 3 states: Connecticut, Michigan, Wisconsin.
  • American Goldfinch — 3 states: Iowa, New Jersey, Washington.

The Most Unusual State Bird Choices

Not every state chose a wild songbird. Several made choices that are surprising, historically loaded, or genuinely funny.

  • Delaware — the Delaware Blue Hen is a breed of chicken, chosen because Revolutionary War soldiers from Delaware were nicknamed 'Blue Hen's Chickens' for their ferocity in battle.
  • Rhode Island — the Rhode Island Red is also a chicken breed, making Rhode Island and Delaware the only two states with domesticated fowl as official birds.
  • Utah — the California Gull is the state bird of a landlocked state. Seagulls saved Mormon pioneer crops from a plague of crickets in 1848, and the state never forgot it.
  • South Dakota — the Ring-necked Pheasant is not native to North America at all. It was introduced from China in the 19th century and became so associated with South Dakota hunting that the state adopted it in 1943.
  • Alabama — the Yellowhammer (Northern Flicker) was named after the yellow trim on Confederate soldiers' uniforms, earning them the battlefield nickname 'yellowhammers.'

More U.S. State Symbol Quizzes

Once you've worked through all 50 state birds, try the state flags quiz, state seals quiz, or license plate slogans quiz for more ways to test your state knowledge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which bird is the state bird of the most states? ⌄
The Northern Cardinal is the state bird of seven states — Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia — more than any other bird. All seven adopted it between 1926 and 1950.
Are any state birds actually chickens? ⌄
Yes — two. Delaware's state bird is the Delaware Blue Hen, a fighting chicken breed. Rhode Island's is the Rhode Island Red, a famous egg-laying breed. Both choices are rooted in the states' agricultural or military history.
Which state has the rarest state bird? ⌄
Hawaii's state bird, the Nene (Hawaiian Goose), came closest to extinction — only about 30 birds survived in the wild in the 1950s. Conservation efforts brought the population back to over 3,000 today.
Which state bird is not native to North America? ⌄
South Dakota's Ring-necked Pheasant was introduced from China in the 19th century. It became so embedded in South Dakota's hunting culture that the state officially adopted it as its bird in 1943.
Do the questions have more than one correct answer? ⌄
No — every question is designed to have exactly one correct answer. For birds shared by multiple states, the quiz uses 'odd one out' format (which state does NOT have this bird?) or asks about a specific state by name.
Are the questions different each time I play? ⌄
Yes. Both the question order and the position of the correct answer among the choices shuffle every round.