The Emblematic Birds Of State

In Arkansas the State Federation of Women's Clubs sponsored the Mockingbird for official honors

. A campaign was conducted under the direction of Mrs. W. A. Utley, this bird being the overwhelming choice. When the matter was first presented to the Legislature most of the members thought it a huge joke, but when they were given two stirring addresses that told them a lot of things about the value of the mockingbird to the farmer, they voted unanimously for the measure and it was signed by the Governor in 1929.

The California Audubon Society and kindred groups sponsored the campaign for a State bird for the Golden State; and great interest it aroused, too. Ballots containing the names of twenty-five birds nominated for selection were widely circulated and just as widely marked. The count revealed the Valley Quail in the lead and on June 12, 193l the Governor made the choice official. In Colorado the selection of the Lark Bunting came at the climax of a campaign that was conducted by ardent partisans. The movement for a State bird was started by Miss Katherine Craig, then superintendent of public instruction. Ballots with the names of the robin, mountain blue-bird, long-crested jay and western meadowlark were circulated and in this vote the meadow-lark was chosen.

In another campaign sponsored by the Denver Post, in cooperation with the Colorado Mountain Club and the Colorado Federation of Women's Clubs, the mountain bluebird received the most votes. Bills in favor of the bluebird and the lark bunting were introduced into the 1929 Legislature but died there. Headed by Roy M. Langdon of the Colorado Audubon Society, a drive was made for the lark bunting, it being urged that other States had already chosen the bluebird and the meadowlark. When the smoke of political battle rolled away the Governor had, on April 29, 1931, signed a bill officially installing the lark bunting.

In Delaware the Mockingbird made an unsuccessful run for State honors against the Cardinal, which was selected by a large majority of those voting in the campaign organized by Mrs. L. V. Atkins. Sponsored by the Audubon Society of St. Petersburg, the vote for Florida's State bird was active and interesting although overwhelmingly for the Mockingbird. The other candidates varied from the tiny hummingbird to the grotesque pelican, while one boy's school went solid for the vulture, commonly called the buzzard, because they had been building airplanes and studying this bird in the process. Senator John S. Taylor left his chair as President of that body to urge the official approval of the Mockingbird in which the House concurred. The measure was signed by the Governor on April 22, 1927.

by: David Bunch

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