Wyoming State Bird

Meadowlark Genus Sturnella Adopted: February 5, 1927

Wyoming State Bird: Meadowlark
Photographs

Though, in the scheme of things, it may not make much difference, we have noticed that all sources list the western meadowlark as Wyoming's official state bird; all sources but the Wyoming Statutes.

In fact, the Wyoming State Legislature did not designate the "western meadowlark" as the state's official bird but, rather, specified the "meadowlark." Since the western meadowlark is the species of meadowlark found in Wyoming, this may be a mute point. On the other hand, the legislature was so specific, especially for the times, in specifying the "Genus" Sturnella (all seven species of meadowlarks), rather than the species Sturnella neglecta (western meadowlark), we thought it an important point to note.

The meadowlark was a popular choice for the Wyoming state bird because it helps control harmful insects, it has a beautiful song and it can be seen throughout the state wherever grasslands and open fields are found.

State Senator Gardner, Hale introduced Senate File* No. 9 on January 17, 1927 proposing that this popular bird be designated as the state bird of Wyoming.

The "meadowlark," genus Sturnella, was designated the state bird of Wyoming, on February 5, 1927, when Governor Frank C. Emerson signed Senate File No. 9.

* "Senate File" is the terminology that Wyoming uses for "Senate Bill."

Wyoming Law

The following information is excerpted from the Wyoming Statutes, Title 8, Chapter 3, Section 8-3-105.

TITLE 8 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 3 - STATE SEAL, FLAG, FLOWER, BIRD AND OTHER SYMBOLS
SECTION 8-3-105

8-3-105. State bird.

An American icteroid bird (genus Sturnella), the bird commonly known as the meadowlark, is the state bird of Wyoming.

Sources...

"The Journal of the Senate of the Nineteenth State Legislature of Wyoming." Wyoming Legislation. Wyoming State Library. Web. 4 June 2015.

Shankle, George Earlie. State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers, and Other Symbols. Irvine, Calif.: Reprint Services Corp, Revised edition, 1971.

Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. State Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols: A Historical Guide Third Edition, Revised and Expanded. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 3 Sub edition, 2001.

Additional Information

Western Meadowlark: Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds.

Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta: Website of the National Audubon Society.

Western Meadowlark- Sturnella neglecta: NatureWorks: New Hampshire Public Television.

Sturnella neglecta - (Audubon, 1844 ), Western Meadowlark: A network connecting science with conservation - NatureServe Explorer: An Online Encyclopedia of Life.

Sturnella — Meadowlarks: The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL), a global community of collaborators and contributors serving the general public, enthusiastic amateurs, educators, students and professional scientists from around the world.

State birds: Complete list of official state birds from NETSTATE.COM.

More symbols & emblems: Complete list of official Wyoming state symbols from NETSTATE.COM.

State Birds & Flowers 1000-pc Puzzle: Created at the request of The National Wildlife Federation this design is a beautiful and informative puzzle featuring every state bird perched on the appropriate state flower.

Bird Feeders and Accessories: Backyard Birding > Bird Feeders & Accessories from Amazon.com.

Birds of Wyoming
Douglas W. Faulkner

Birds of Wyoming, by Douglas W. Faulkner. 404 pages. Publisher: Roberts and Company Publishers; 1st Edition edition (April 22, 2010)

The Birds of Wyoming is the first comprehensive guide since 1939 to the status and distribution of Wyoming’s avifauna. The book provides detailed information for over 400 bird species known to have occurred in Wyoming through 2008. Each full-page resident species account features a species photo and distribution map, while the non-resident section provides the reader insight on regular migrants and rarities. Introductory chapters authored by state experts give an indepth look at the state’s ornithological history, vegetative landscapes, and avian conservation efforts. Habitat-focused sections by regional experts provide a broader view of management and conservation issues within Wyoming’s dominant sagebrush, montane forest, and shortgrass prairie ecotones. Birds of Wyoming fills the niche for a state-based reference that will be useful to a wide range of professional disciplines and amateur birders. Governmental land managers as well as local and out-of-state birders alike will benefit from the easily accessible information (and literature references in most cases) in each species account.

Wyoming Birds
Pocket Naturalist
Guide Series

Wyoming Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species, Pocket Naturalist Guide SeriesTHOR2. Publisher: Waterford Press; 1st edition (October 22, 2003)

Zoologist James Kavanagh has researched and written more than 450 publications pertaining to wildlife observation and outdoor recreation. His unique talent is in taking complex information and synthesizing the salient points to make knowledge about nature and the outdoors more accessible to novices, and to present quick, portable reference information for more experienced wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts.

Wyoming Birds is the ideal pocket-sized reference guide for bird lovers of all skill levels. This beautifully illustrated guide highlights over 140 familiar and unique species and includes an ecoregion map featuring prominent bird-viewing areas. Laminated for durability, this lightweight, pocket-sized folding guide is an excellent source of portable information and ideal for field use by visitors and residents alike.

Western Birds:
Backyard Guide
Bill Thompson III

Western Birds: Backyard Guide, by Bill Thompson III. 160 pages. Bird Watcher's Digest Backyard Guide. Publisher: Cool Springs Press (September 15, 2013)

Written by Bill Thompson III, the editor and co-publisher of Bird Watcher's Digest, this portable 5"x8" book contains the same variety of entertaining and informative entries that make Bird Watcher's Digest the nation’s most popular birding magazine.

Inside Western Birds: Backyard Birding, you’ll find profiles of the 55 most common birds in the West, complete with large color photos, gender-specific physical descriptions, nesting and feeding information, bird call particulars, and interesting stories about each species. Thompson also introduces the reader to the basics of bird watching: essential gear, bird-friendly food and plantings, housing tips, and observational techniques.

This guide covers Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska.