What is the State Bird of Wisconsin? (And Why?)

Wisconsin, also known as the Badger State and America’s Dairy Farm, is the 25th largest state in the United States by area and the 20th most populous. Wisconsin’s state animal is the American badger, but what is the state bird?

In 1949, the red-breasted robin became the state bird of Wisconsin. Also known as the American robin (Turdus migratorius), this migratory songbird can be identified by its red breast, which has breast feathers that range in color from peach to reddish-sorrel. Early morning singers, known as cheerful birds, sing loudly while foraging.

Wisconsin’s State Bird, the American Robin

Why is the American robin the state bird of Wisconsin?

Bird lovers in the state have campaigned for the beloved bird for two decades. Wisconsin held a contest to select its state bird in 1926 and 1927. A statewide survey of Wisconsin schoolchildren, sponsored by the United Women’s Club of Wisconsin, determined their preferences for the state bird.

Although elected in 1927, conservation chairwoman Mrs. Walter Bowman had to continue protecting the bird until the legislature acted in 1949.

When did the American robin become the state bird of Wisconsin?

Its legislature adopted the bird on June 4, 1949. It shares the American robin as the state bird with Connecticut and Michigan.

American robin perched on a tree, calling

What does Wisconsin’s state bird look like?

Redbird females and males look alike; however, females appear lighter, darker in color on their bellies and breasts. Otherwise, they each have dark gray to black heads. It should be solid except for broken eye rings and a striped throat.

The American robin usually has a black beak with a tinge of yellow and a brown base. Both sexes have a gray upper body and a white underside of the tail. When they are young, redrobins have white spots on their breasts. At all ages, both sexes develop lighter winter plumage.

You can consider this a medium-sized bird because it grows to 8.5 to 11 inches long and has a wingspan of 12 to 16 inches. Although they grow quite large, they only weigh 2.3 to 3 ounces.

American Robin eating berries in winter

How are these birds behaving?

When you hear a solo song first thing in the morning, you might hear an energetic, cheerful red robin. They tend to sing solo, and they are often found in residential areas, foraging on lawns.

Outside of breeding season, redbirds love to travel. This migratory bird continues to venture out, frequenting North and Central America. Wisconsin birds of this species prefer to spend the winter in Florida. Other species fly to the Gulf Coast, central Mexico, or the Pacific coast. They often fly north to Alaska or Canada during the warmer months of spring and summer.

American robin’s nest with 4 blue eggs

Each year, they mate and breed during the months of April through July. Typically a cheerful bird, the males of this species defend their territories fiercely. American robins practice serial monogamy. Each year, males and females find each other and pair up to breed. They stay together during the breeding season, producing two to three clutches of three to five eggs each. They incubate eggs together and care for the young in pairs until the chicks leave the nest.

Once fertilized, the female ovulates. She then incubates the eggs for 14 days. Chicks hatch from eggs without sight or feathers. Within two weeks of birth, the chicks grow feathers and gain vision. Once the flight feathers are in place, the chick can explore the world outside the nest. They learn to fly short distances first, and fly long distances. They take off on their own after developing flying skills.

American Robin

Do American robins form communities?

American robins do form communities, but only temporarily. They do this for maximum safety when traveling long distances. A lot of travel reduces the risk of predator attack. Their migration pattern includes traveling south for the winter and returning to Wisconsin to breed. Once the breeding season arrives, they reduce their social activity.

In winter and summer, they divide into small flocks when they reach their destination. Each pair builds a nest in summer to breed, but in winter each bird builds its own nest. This results in the bird technically having two homes.

In both locations, their nests are raised above the ground, between 4.9 feet and 14.8 feet, usually in tree branches or dense bushes. Red robins build their nests using hardy materials, weaving them together to connect with each other by flying back and forth. They combined paper, twigs, rough grass and feathers.

Once they weave the materials together to build the home foundation, they spread dirt on the floor of the den and pile on soft grass to make a rug. They may also add some pillow filling, fabric, or other soft items.

They forage for items in breeding grounds in a similar way to finding food. The female bird prioritizes soft items because she needs to sit for two weeks straight to incubate her eggs.

American Robin eating orange

What Do American Robins Eat?

American robins eat an omnivorous diet. Their absolute joy is the meat as they munch on the berries. They feed on small invertebrates, including grubs, worms and grasshoppers. They also eat fruit when the season permits. The variety in their diet helps them a lot.

Since they travel a lot, from Canada to Florida every year, this allows them to eat whatever is available. When they can’t find a favorite berry in a state, they switch to the available bug.

For an in-depth guide to the diet of the American robin, check out this article.