A campaign to adopt a Kansas state bird was launched in 1924 by Miss Madeleine Aaron, secretary of the Audubon Society of Kansas. The bobwhite, cardinal, prairie chicken, and meadowlark were nominated.
Some 121,000 votes were cast on Kansas Day—January 29, 1925. The meadowlark won, with the bobwhite second and the cardinal third. The robin edged out the prairie chicken for fourth place.
But the meadowlark was’t officially adopted until March 23, 1937, along with the cottonwood as state tree.
The meadowlark, cottonwood and bison are the most popular Great Plains states symbols, but only Kansas and Wyoming adopted all three. The meadowlark further complements Kansas’ state flower, the sunflower. One meadowlark fan wrote,
“There is an affinity, a relationship-almost a kinship-between the great sunflower stalk and the meadow lark. Out on the prairies in many places the sunflower stem grows to a height of 10 or 12 feet and in diameter larger than an Iowa cornstalk. At its top hangs the great head of seed surrounded by its golden petals. Nature could not have provided a better grand stand from which the meadow lark may give his hourly concerts.”
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - Paperback
