Arkansas State Bird

The Nature State, as its people like to call it, or Arkansas was admitted as the 25th state into statehood. This happened on 15 June of 1836. Little Rock is the capital city, and the state had a population of 2,959,373 in 2013. So, which bird species got the honor of becoming the state bird of Arkansas?

What is the state bird of Arkansas?

Since 1929, the Northern Mockingbird has been the state bird of Arkansas. Arkansas shares its state bird with 4 other states, including Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida.

Mockingbirds have always been revered for their vocal skills. Suffice it to say they are capable of singing up to 200 songs, from imitating mechanical noises to copying the sound of other birds, amphibians, and insects. They are also on the small side with gray plumage.

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What makes the state bird of Arkansas unusual?

The Arkansas official state bird has its specialty in its vocal talent. Sometimes, when you feel like you are hearing a couple of different bird species singing in your backyard, don’t be surprised when you peer outside and find out it was only a Mockingbird. The Mockingbirds are an intelligent species who love imitating the sounds they hear. They are so good at it that you can never actually tell it’s from one single bird.

Northern Mockingbirds love singing and even do it at night at times. They are also awfully possessive about their territory. When other bird species enter their territory, they circle them and shoo them away. Something you won’t expect while looking at the small stature of the birds.

Northern Mockingbird Migration

Arkansas state bird facts

Let’s learn some Arkansas state bird facts!

1.  Northern Mockingbirds continue to pick up one song after the other as they age. Usually, though, this count stops somewhere around 200. The male of the species is the best at picking up songs.

2. The Northern Mockingbirds have the habit of showing off their wings. They would either half open their wings or fully open their wings suddenly without any warning. This is when the white marks on their wings become visible. It is unknown why they do it, though it is suspected that it is a technique of catching insects off guard. However, this method hasn’t proved to be a successful one. It is also notable that Mockingbirds of other species do the same thing, even though they don’t have the white patches on their wings.

3. Typically, Mockingbirds can be seen singing from February to August and then again from September to November. They might have two different collections of songs ready for two different seasons, depending on spring or fall.

Final Thoughts

The Northern Mockingbird is a common sight in Arkansas, Florida, Texas, and many other states. However, the fun part of seeing the Arkansas state bird while visiting Arkansas is that you get to indulge yourself in the natural beauty of the state while these gray fluffy birds pose among them.

Ornithology