FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Some Mockingbird History in TN

["William T. Thornton" <wtthornton@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I thought this interesting -- it is copied from 
http://www.geobop.com/Symbols/Animals/Birds/1/Mockingbird/
   
    "There remain only five states that have as yet not joined in the selection 
of a State bird. These are Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, and 
Tennessee." So wrote state bird proponent Katherine B. Tippetts in Nature 
Magazine in 1932. 
   Tippetts though the painted bunting, or nonpareil, would make an appropriate 
Tennessee mascot. Though her favorite wasn't adopted, Tippetts' article may 
have spurred Tennessee bird lovers into action.

   The Tennessee Ornithological Society planned a state-wide balloting for the 
selection of an official state bird. Beginning on March 15, 1933, the Nashville 
Banner began printing a series of articles on fifteen candidates, including the 
mockingbird, robin, wood thrush, bluebird, flicker, pileated woodpecker, brown 
thrasher, field sparrow, cardinal, Bewick's wren, towhee, sparrow hawk, 
chickadee, and bobwhite.

   Tennesseans adopted the first and last candidates! According to the 
Nashville Banner of April 16, 1933, the Mockingbird was selected on April 11. 
Of the 72,031 votes cast, the mockingbird received 15,553, the robin 15,073, 
the cardinal 13,969, the bobwhite 10,460, the bluebird 9,125, and others 8,751. 
The robin was actually ahead, until votes from the Memphis area (Shelby County) 
began coming in.

   The mockingbird officially became the state bird on April 22, 1933, the same 
day the iris became the state flower.


   The bobwhite quail was adopted as Tennessee's official state game bird in 
1988." 

Terry Thornton, RInnie, TN (Just north of Crossville on the Cumberland Plateau)


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