Idaho State Bird

What Is the Idaho State Bird?

The state bird of Idaho is the Mountain Bluebird, which is often shortened to just the bluebird, and it has been the state bird since 1931. The bird is known for its bright blue breast. The male bird usually has bright blue and white feathers, and the female bird usually has bright blue and brown feathers. The bird can be spotted throughout the state, including in Yellowstone National Park, one of the main attractions in the state of Idaho.

Why Did Idaho Pick the Mountain Bluebird as its Bird?

The Mountain Bluebird lives in Idaho throughout the year, and it can be spotted easily by local residents, becoming synonymous with the state. In addition, the federal government has given a protected status to the Mountain Bluebird because it has been losing its nesting sites. The bird has had its nests destroyed by a lot of the construction and development taking place in the state, and the bird has been harmed by the use of pesticides throughout the farms in the state.

As a result, the local residents decided to rally around the popular bird, trying to raise awareness of the Mountain Bluebird by naming it the state bird.

When Did the Mountain Bluebird Become the State Bird of Idaho?

The local schoolchildren were tasked with the goal of selecting a state bird, and they held a campaign that tossed around a few separate ideas. In 1931, the Mountain Bluebird began to gain steam as the possible state bird of Idaho. Many people see the small bluebird as a symbol of love, happiness, and hope, universally positive qualities. In addition, Idaho has strong Native American roots, and the Mountain Bluebird is typically seen as a good omen throughout Native American culture. For all of these reasons, the Mountain Bluebird won the vote to become the state bird of Idaho.

Of note, there are other states that use the bluebird as the state bird. Nevada also uses the Mountain Bluebird as its bird, and New York uses a different bluebird, the Eastern Bluebird, as its state bird.

How Can Someone Spot the Mountain Bluebird?

The Mountain Bluebird is relatively easy to spot because of its bright appearance. The male bird has bright blue and white feathers, while the female bird has bright blue and brown feathers. In addition, the Mountain Bluebird can be spotted flying through the sky in a zig-zag pattern. The birds also tend to do well in the colder weather, so they live in Idaho throughout the year. They are smaller birds, only about six inches long. Their wingspans usually measure about a foot.

In addition, the Mountain Bluebird prefers to live in open spaces. While they can be spotted in the forest from time to time, they usually fly around in the open skies of the Big Sky region of the country, such as Idaho. The birds can be spotted easily against the white clouds in the blue sky.