MISSOURI STATE SYMBOLS   STATE BIRD   Eastern Bluebird (Sailia sialis)

 

The Eastern bluebird has been the official state bird of Missouri since 1927. The bluebird is considered a symbol of happiness. This songbird is smaller than a robin and gets its name from the male’s bright blue feathers on its wings, tail, back and head. The bluebird typically visits Missouri from the early spring to the late fall; some areas of the state see bluebirds year round, especially in the south where they are considered permanent residents. The birds breed in the spring and summer, and many Missourians attract the birds to their property by installing bluebird houses. The bird’s red, white and blue coloring makes it a natural choice for an American symbol.

 

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Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo)

§10.010. Official state bird. – The native “bluebird” (Sialia Sialis) is selected for and shall be known as the official bird of the state of Missouri. (1927 S.B. 321) (RSMo 1939 §15439, RSMo 1949 §10.070, A.L. 1957 S.B. 82 §10.010)

approved 13 June 1957
effective 28 August 1957

 

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Photo Gallery:

Click on an image below to enlarge and read a caption. This will open a new window in the Missouri State Symbols Flickr album.

 

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Additional Resources:

Search historic issues of the Missouri Conservationist on the Missouri Digital Heritage website here.

A booklet “Bluebirds in Missouri” (1997, 2017) is available through the Missouri State Archives Department of Conservation State Documents Collection.

Jones, Sterling P. “The Story of the Bluebird: How It Came to Be Chosen As Missouri’s State Bird and the Amazing Developments That Followed.” (1947) Rpt. The Bluebird Vol. 88 No. 2 (June 2021): 97-100.

Ritchison, Gary. Wild Bird Guides: Eastern Bluebird. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2000.

 

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