http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/412-federal-feathers/
Información:
The German language describes the difference between two main types of federal states aptly and concisely as being between a Bundesstaat (1) and a Staatenbund (2). The European Union, in which the 27 constituent nations retain sovereignty over such key issues as defence and foreign policy, clearly is an example of the latter. The United States, where federal sovereignty clearly trumps states’ rights, is of the former type.
This does not mean, however, that the 50 constituent states are completely homogenised; in fact, they exhibit a marked tendency to stress their uniqueness and individuality, among other means by choosing a raft of state insignia – even if often as trivial as a State Toy (Kansas: Etch-A-Sketch), State Instrument (Kentucky: Appalachian dulcimer), or State Beverage (Massachusetts: cranberry juice).
Only a handful of states have adopted such idiosyncratic symbols. A much more popular one, adopted by all states and DC in fact, is the State Bird. Funny thing, though: instead of choosing birds unique to each state, or at least not shared with other states, these insignia show an intriguing degree of overlap, and geographic contiguity – as shown by this map.
* Seven states in a contiguous area in the Mid-West and Mid-Atlantic share the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) for a State Bird. These states, coloured red, are: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. The Northern Cardinal is called Cardinal because it looks like it’s dressed in the flowing red robes or Roman Catholic cardinals, and Northern because it only occurs in that hemisphere. It is also called Redbird, because of the brightly coloured plumage of the male (the female is a more dullish brown-red).
* Six green-coloured southern states (Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida and South Carolina) all have the Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottus) as a state symbol. Mockingbirds get their name from their ability to mimick (or mock, if you will) the songs of other birds and even other species.
* Six states west of the Mississippi and north of the Missouri Compromise Line share the Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) as a State Bird. The Western Meadowlark is a blackbird with yellow underparts. These states, here coloured purple, are Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon and Wyoming.
* Four states opt for the bluebird – although in the case of Nevada and Idaho it’s the Mountain Bluebird (Siala curricuides), and for Missouri and New York it’s the Eastern Bluebird (Siala sialis). The former is bluer than the latter, and occurs mainly west of the Rockies, whereas the latter’s habitat is to the east thereof.
* Three states go yellow by opting for the American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis): Washington, Iowa and New Jersey.
We therefore have five dominant colours on the ornithological map of the US: red, blue, green, purple and yellow. Thus, ornithology is more than double as colourful as politics, which only manages to colour the States in red or blue. Most other state birds have mottled, multicoloured coats, but at least one colour could be added: that of New Hampshire’s Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus).
Many thanks to Raynor Ganan for sending in this map, found here on the Ragbag.
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(1) – litt. ‘federal state’, federation.
(2) – litt. ‘federation of states’, confederation.
Entradas
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The State bird of South Carolina is a wren, sometimes known as the Carolina Wren, sometimes by other names. See here, for one source:
http://www.50states.com/bird/
Fine blog. Thanks.
Comment by Martin LaBar — September 21, 2009 @ 11:16 am
When I was a boy, the state bird of West Virginia was the tufted titmouse. It was presumably changed so that schoolchildren wouldn’t giggle, but some people were upset that we’d exchanged a pretty and distinctive bird for a showy creature that made us just like the neighboring states.
Comment by Rodger — September 21, 2009 @ 1:11 pm
It should be pointed out that a “confederation of states” (Staatenbund) is not a State, but an alliance between independent States.
The difference between US’ States and EU’ Member States can be seen in the following example: EU’ Member States can be admitted into the UN (and, now, they all are UN members) because they are independent States, while US’ States cannot, because they are not independent States (”USA” being the entity who act as such at the UN).
Comment by P.F.R. — September 21, 2009 @ 1:48 pm
You remark: “Funny thing, though: instead of choosing birds unique to each state, or at least not shared with other states”. I guess you’ll find that most birds don’t really care for state limits and borders and go wherever the hell they please. Though I admit the Rocky Mountains might be a barrier formidable enough to keep some species of birds either on the western or eastern side of it, preventing them from being found on the other side of the mountain range.
Comment by Ludwig — September 21, 2009 @ 2:53 pm
“Most other state birds have mottled, multicoloured coats, but at least one colour could be added: that of New Hampshire’s Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus).” Of course, not all state birds are colorful — the Minnesota state bird has dramatic but monochromatic plumage of black and white (though its eyes are startlingly red).
Comment by Calli Arcale — September 21, 2009 @ 3:26 pm
I live in Utah, where out state bird is the California gull and out state tree is the Colorado spruce. Unique identity indeed.
Comment by patrick — September 21, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
Wow… I made the same typo (”out” for “our”) twice in the same sentence. It must be Monday.
Comment by patrick — September 21, 2009 @ 3:31 pm
Now I’m desperately trying to remember who it was (Dave Barry?) who claimed that the state bird of New Jersey was the “Old Newspaper Caught Up By The Wind”.
Comment by Paul Drye — September 21, 2009 @ 6:32 pm
@Ludwig: what he meant was it was strange that states didn’t choose a state bird that hadn’t already been chosen by another state. Which indeed it is. I’ve never really understood what the point of a state bird is in the first place, and having the same bird as several other states seems to render it utterly pointless.
Comment by Stephen — September 21, 2009 @ 7:28 pm
@P.F.R.: How did they deal with the USSR then? We mainly think of the USSR as one country, which had a seat on the UN, but two of its republics had seats at the UN as well (Ukrainian SSR and Byelorussian SSR). This meant the USSR had three seats (practically) in the UN, including one with veto powers. So was the USSR a Bundesstaat and a Staatenbund?
Comment by Martin — September 21, 2009 @ 7:57 pm
I know it’s just sour grapes, but where’s the rest of the US?
Comment by John — September 21, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
By the time I retire, Missouri will drop the bluebird, and adopt the Cardinal as the state bird.
Comment by Albert Pujols — September 21, 2009 @ 8:38 pm