Oklahoma’s State Bird

Conservation was stressed in voting for Oklahoma’s state bird in 1929. In a contest sponsored by the State Federation of Women’s Clubs, students cast more than 69,000 votes, with the bobwhite emerging the winner. But the bobwhite was never officially adopted, leaving the door open to competitors.

John and Margaret Galley, of the Tulsa Audubon Society, set out to select a distinctive state bird about 1947. They consulted Margaret M. Nice, author of Birds of Oklahoma, and Roger T. Peterson, renowned ornithologist and artist of field guide fame.

The western meadowlark was a leading candidate. But it was probably rejected because it already represented several states.

Texas Bird of Paradise

Instead, the Tulsa Audubon Society championed the “Texas bird-of-paradise,” the scissor-tailed flycatcher. It boasts a more Oklahoman range, living mostly in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. Moreover, Oklahoma is the center of its breeding range.

A scissortail bill passed by a unanimous vote in the Senate, but was defeated in the House. Bess Smith, of Tulsa, then took charge. She allied with the Isaac Walton League, State Garden Clubs, the Outdoor Council, sportsman’s clubs, and Oklahoma bird-watchers.

In April 1950, the Oklahoma Ornithological Society was born. It adopted the scissortail as its logo. To their chagrin, they discovered that the Tulsa Audubon Society’s journal was also called the The Scissor-Tail. However, Tulsa members didn’t object to their larger cousin sharing their mascot.

But the scissor-tailed flycatcher still faced a legal battle. The legislature even made fun of its name, angering garden club members. They complained to legislators, who then began to take their project more seriously.

The scissor-tailed flycatcher was finally adopted as Oklahoma’s state bird in May 1951. Oklahomans later adopted an official game bird.

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