Illinois State Bird

The state of Illinois became the official US state in the year 1818, exactly on December 3rd. It was the 21st state to obtain this position. Springfield is the capital city of Illinois and the state is also known as the Prairie State. After getting all these facts, which species do you think is the Illinois state bird?

What is the State Bird of Illinois?

Northern Cardinal was selected as the state bird of Illinois based on the preference of the school children in 1929. The Cardinal is actually the state bird of seven states in America, including Illinois. They belong among the favorites backyard birds of America and can be easily identified based on the cheery whistles they let out. The male cardinals are bright red, while the female cardinals have a more brown plumage with fiery wings. The bills are small but sharp-looking, with a black mask on their face and an eye-catching crest.

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What Makes the State Bird of Illinois Unusual?

It’s hard to say what’s more unusual and attractive about the Northern Cardinal. Is it their lovely, continuous whistling notes? Is it the bright red appearance of the male Cardinals, or is it the easily camouflaged color of the female Cardinals with a bit of red? Whichever your choice is, Cardinal continues to be one of the most popular birds of North America, especially among children.

Illinois State Bird Facts

Let’s learn some amazing facts about the Northern Cardinal!

1. Female songbirds in North America actually don’t have a history of singing much. However, female cardinals are an exception. They tend to do it while they are resting inside their nest. This actually conveys a message to the male cardinal when it’s time to collect food for their nest. Both male and female cardinals exchange song phrases but the tune of the female Cardinal might be slightly more complex.

2. Each spring, people see the odd sight of Cardinals attempting to fight their reflection as they spot themselves in the mirror of a car window or the window of a house. Both male and female cardinals are seen engaging in this peculiar one-sided fight against themselves. This happens during spring and the earlier parts of summer, when they become super obsessed with defending their territories. If it means accidentally mistaking themselves to be the enemy, so be it.

3. The tendency to fight their reflection ends once the aggressive, fighting hormones in their body reduce as summer starts to pass. However, there is this story of a female cardinal keeping up with this behavior for six months without a break.

Final Thoughts

In Illinois, Northern Cardinals have always been loved by the school children. It’s not that hard to catch sight of them, for they are in your backyard. You are most likely to run into them again and again.  All you need to do is be ready with your binoculars and other birding gears to enjoy the sight to the fullest.

Ornithology