For the birds
So, my daughter and her friends were discussing state birds this afternoon. Why? Don't ask me-- these are teenagers. It is not my job to understand them. My job most days is to a) feed them when they're here and b) wonder what they're up to when they're not.
In any case, there came the question: "Mom? What's the state bird of Kentucky? Or Michigan?" How should I know this? We live in Indiana. I know Indiana's state bird: the cardinal. Did they ask me about Indiana's state bird? Noooo, that would be too easy.
So, I did what any self-respecting mom with her laptop open would do: I did a Dogpile search on "state bird."
We learned that the cardinal is also the state bird of Kentucky (and five other states besides Indiana), while Michigan (along with Connecticut and Wisconsin) point with pride to the robin.
I also discovered that there is often very little logic in the choice of state birds. There is, for example, a lovely little bird called the Missouri Meadowlark. It is not, however, the state bird of Missouri. That would be the bluebird.
Instead the Missouri Meadowlark is the state bird . . . of (among other places) Montana. Care to explain this one, Ref?
In any case, there came the question: "Mom? What's the state bird of Kentucky? Or Michigan?" How should I know this? We live in Indiana. I know Indiana's state bird: the cardinal. Did they ask me about Indiana's state bird? Noooo, that would be too easy.
So, I did what any self-respecting mom with her laptop open would do: I did a Dogpile search on "state bird."
We learned that the cardinal is also the state bird of Kentucky (and five other states besides Indiana), while Michigan (along with Connecticut and Wisconsin) point with pride to the robin.
I also discovered that there is often very little logic in the choice of state birds. There is, for example, a lovely little bird called the Missouri Meadowlark. It is not, however, the state bird of Missouri. That would be the bluebird.
Instead the Missouri Meadowlark is the state bird . . . of (among other places) Montana. Care to explain this one, Ref?
posted by Jane Ellen+ at
4:05 PM
2 Comments:
It would appear that Dogpile isn't all that accurate. The state bird of Montana is the Western Meadowlark. You can go to http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/montana/ for all sorts of facts about Montana. I find it interesting that MT is the 4th largest state, and the 44th most populous (that's alot of 4's).
But hey, glad to know you were thinking of me.
Dogpile works just fine, thank you. "Western Meadowlark" is simply an alternate (read, secondary) name for the Missouri Meadowlark: the original name given the bird in question by Lewis and Clark while they were out gallivanting around. The other simply seems to be preferred for use, I presume, by states who are in denial. ;-)
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