New York State Bird and Flower

The New York state bird is the Eastern bluebird. However this almost did not come to pass. Initially the American robin was chosen to be the official state bird of the New York. However a woman named Mrs. Charles Cyrus Marshall, the president of the New York Federated Women’s Clubs in both 1927 and in 1928 found that the Eastern bluebird was more popular than the American robin. In 1970 the bluebird was taken on as New York’s official state bird. The bluebird is also Missouri’s state bird as well.

The bluebird is a medium sized song bird, also called a thrush. The adult males are identifiable by being blue on the top and back, having a reddish orange chest, and a white belly. The females are of a slightly paler color than the males. Their diets consist of primarily fruits and insects. In order for the male bluebirds to attract a mate they first bring nest materials to a hole where the nest will be located and perform a “Nest Demonstration Display”. During this display the male bluebird stands above the nest flapping his wings in order to attract a mate. From there the female builds the nest with the materials and incubates the eggs on her own while the male takes no part in the process.

The rose is the New York state flower. It was selected to be the New York state flower in 1955. The rose is also the state flower for Iowa, North Dakota, and Georgia. Additionally the rose is the United States national flower. Roses have been around for over 30 million years and grow all over North America. The rose’s petals and rose hips are edible, and have been used in medicine for ages. The rose hips are very high in vitamins and can help improve and preserve the immune system. They can also assist in lowering blood cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, and help the digestive system operate in a more efficient manner. Roses can come in multiple colors such as red, pink, or white or yellow. Roses are thought to symbolize many things such as love, honor, faith, or beauty.