Wisconsin was among the first states to adopt an official bird. Here’s what the 1930 Wisconsin Arbor and Bird Day Annual reported on the robin’s adoption:
Wisconsin now has a ‘State Bird’ selected by the school children of the state under the direction of Mrs. Walter Bowman, chairman of Conservation, Wisconsin Federation of Women’s Clubs.
“With the approval of Supt. Callahan and the fine cooperation of school superintendents, the work was successfully carried out by vote, at the close of the school year 1926, following preliminary work on birds during the winter and spring months. The ‘robin’ was the choice of every county except Sheboygan [which voted for the bluebird], receiving twice the number of votes given any other bird. It was most fitting that first place should be given to the bird which brings to both young and old glad tidings of Spring and the re-awakening of Nature’s beauties after the cold winter months.”
But the robin was’t really Wisconsin’s state bird. Like the violet, it had not been officially adopted.
A Centennial Affair
In 1947, Wisconsinites chose a state tree, but it was’t made official either. The year 1948 was Wisconsin’s centennial. What better time to get their state symbols in order?
The youth committee of the 1948 Wisconsin Centennial commission sponsored a state symbols bill. The wood violet, sugar maple, and robin were all officially adopted on June 4, 1949. Wisconsin later adopted the mourning dove as a symbol of peace.
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