Indiana State Bird

The 19th state to get admission into statehood was Indiana. The official ceremony happened on December 11 of 1816. Very fittingly, Indianapolis is the capital city of Indiana. The state is also known as the Hoosier state. A state possessing such a nickname, which species do you think the Indiana state bird can possibly be?

What is the State Bird of Indiana?

The Northern Cardinal became the state bird of Indiana in 1933. They have a stable population base and are seen all over North America. It is easy to recognize them by the cheerful sounds they make. It sounds like a series of upbeat whistles. Northern Cardinals are also red in color, especially the male of the species. The females are more brown-reddish with bright red wings. They have deep black masks and sharp but small beaks.

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What Makes the State Bird of Indiana Unusual?

The red color of the male cardinal certainly helps differentiate them from the rest of the bird species. It’s such a bright burst of red. Even the female cardinals have red on their crest. While the female Cardinals can be hidden easily among the trees, otherwise it’s the red color of their crest that gives them away. Of course, we can’t ignore the sweet, whistle tune Cardinals make in quick succession–another thing that has led to their popularity among children.

Indiana State Bird Facts

Let’s learn more about Northern Cardinals!

1. One of the oddest things about Cardinals is when they are seen engaging in a fight with their reflection during spring. Passers-by come across the cardinals trying to attack a window of a car or the mirror where they spot themselves. During spring and early summer, they get far more aggressive and territorial about their nesting place. This means they would fight anyone that comes a little too close to them during this period.

2. Usually, this behavior starts to subside by the middle of summer as the aggressive hormones in their body start to settle down. However, there is the famous story of a female cardinal continuing to stay in this aggressive mode for six months without any break.

3. North American female songbirds rarely sing. This isn’t the case with female cardinals, though. They are known to sing while they are inside their nest. When they do, it signals the male cardinals that their mates want them to gather food. The female and male cardinal both communicate with each other through song phrases. It has been noted that the tunes sung by the female cardinal sound more complicated. Their whistles are also a bit longer and more pitched than those of male cardinals.

Final Thoughts

In general, it’s easy to come across Northern Cardinals all over North America. Indiana is no different. The Indiana official state bird can be seen all over the states and especially in your backyard. So, the only thing you need to do to catch a glimpse of the Northern Cardinal is to make a trip to Indiana!

Ornithology