Indiana does not have a state animal, but the cardinal is the state bird. State emblems represent what makes a state special, and Indiana has 11 other state emblems, including a state river, rock, and tree. These emblems were adopted at different times by the Indiana General Assembly.
There is no state animal in Indiana, although the state has other official emblems. The cardinal probably comes closest to being the state animal of Indiana, but technically it’s the state bird. While the Indiana state animal does not currently exist, there is always a chance the state will adopt one in the future. This is because historically, the adoption of state emblems in Indiana has occurred over a long period of time, with the state song adopted in 1913 and the state river in 1996.
State emblems, also called state symbols, are established to represent what makes a particular state special. Thus, there are many different types of state emblems and not all states will adopt the same type of symbol. For example, there is no Indiana state animal, but California’s state animal is the grizzly bear. At the same time, there is currently no California state poem, but there is an Indiana state poem. In general, to adopt a state emblem, it must first be proposed in a bill, approved by the state senate and assembly, and then signed by the governor.
The 1933 General Assembly in Indiana adopted the cardinal as the state bird. Among many other places, the Cardinal lives in Indiana year-round. The male cardinal is bright red while the female is brown with a red crest, wings and tail; each season, the female cardinal lays two to four eggs, which are bluish-white with brown spots. The cardinal is a common bird and is actually not only the official state bird of Indiana, but also six other states including Illinois, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia are the other three.
In addition to having a state bird, Indiana has 11 other state emblems such as the most common state flag, flower, and seal, as well as the nickname. Also, Indiana has one state river, one rock, and one tree. There is a motto, a poem and a state song, there is also an official state language. These emblems were all adopted in different years by the Indiana General Assembly. Interestingly, the state flag, which used to be called a pennant, was designed as part of a competition and the state flower, which was originally the zinnia, was later changed to the peony.
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