Below is a list of U.S. state birds as designated by each state's, district's or territory's government. The selection of state birds began with Kentucky adopting the northern cardinal in 1926.

Location of the state of Illinois in the United States of America. The state of Illinois has adopted numerous symbols over time.

Illinois was the first of seven states to select the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) as its State Bird. The cardinal was chosen in 1929. Illinois schoolchildren voted for the State Bird. The other candidates were the bluebird, meadowlark, bobwhite (quail) and oriole.

Illinois schoolchildren chose the Cardinal as the state bird from a list: Cardinal 39.226 votes; Blue Bird 30,306; Meadowlark 16,237; Quail 15,843; Oriole 15,449. Six other states chose the Cardinal as their state bird: Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The northern cardinal is the state bird of Illinois. It averages about seven and one-half to nine inches in length. The male has bright-red feathers with a black patch of feathers at the base of the red bill.

Sep 23, 2023 · The official Illinois State Bird is the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). A total of seven states have chosen the Northern Cardinal as their official state bird. Illinois chose the species in 1929, shortly after Kentucky named it their state bird in 1926.

Nov 30, 1999 · The Illinois State bird is the Northern Cardinal – an extremely well-known bird that is arguably the bird species that gets people into birdwatching! These birds are relatively large songbirds with short, thick bills, prominent crests, and long tails.

Illinois schoolchildren chose the cardinal as the Illinois state bird from among five choices: the winner received 39,226 votes; the blue bird got 30,306; the meadowlark, 16,237; the quail, 15,843; and the oriole, 15,449.

State Bird of Illinois: Northern Cardinal or Redbird (Cardinalis cardinalis). Access Illinois officialbird's description, history, and picture.

Illinois State Bird. Name: Northern Cardinal. Binomial Name: Cardinalis cardinalis. Adopted: Legislation of 1928