Dave Menke, U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceIdaho’s state bird was chosen in a campaign in 1929. Idaho’s women’s clubs supported the tanager, but school children favored the mountain bluebird, robin and meadowlark.
According to the May 6, 1929 issue of the Idaho Daily Statesman, the bluebird received almost half of school children’s votes in Bingham County. The paper listed the children’s reasons for voting for their favorites:
“Bluebird, 875 votes: One of the last birds to leave in the autumn. It is blue like our summer sky and would advertise the state as well as any other bird. It is beautiful. The bluebird is a native bird of Idaho. It is a great help to farmers and will destroy our insects. It stands for happiness. Blue is in the flag. The bluebird is lucky. It is a harbinger of spring. Blue would look pretty with white syringa, the state flower; is gentle and graceful.
“Meadow lark, 539 votes: Because it tells the truth when it says, ‘Idaho’s a pretty big state.’ Early arrival, song, helpfulness to farmers. Beauty. Destroys bugs, worms, etc. Has a joyful song. One of our first spring songsters.
“Chinese pheasant, 303 votes: It is here all the year around. Found mostly in Idaho. It is a beautiful bird. It helps farmers by eating insects. It is the strongest and largest of our birds. It doesn’t go south in winter and that shows it likes Idaho. Its beautiful colors typify colorings of the west.
“Sage Hen, 236 votes: The sage hen is a truly western bird among all states, therefore it would be more unique.
“Canary, 113 votes: A pretty bird and a good songster. Can be kept in house-beautiful color.”
Jesse Achtenberg, U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceThe robin was also reportedly a favorite. The Idaho Daily Statesman later reported that the turkey was generally conceded to be Idaho’s most important bird, in spite of the bluebird’s victory.
The mountain bluebird was adopted as Idaho’s state bird on February 28, 1931.
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