Arkansas's official state bird is the northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), and it has held that title since March 5, 1929.
What Is the State Bird of Arkansas? Northern Mockingbird
Marcus Webb
27 Mar 2026
That designation came through House Concurrent Resolution No. 22, passed by the 47th General Assembly and signed by Governor Harvey Parnell. The resolution's language was direct: 'the Mockingbird is declared and everywhere recognized as the state bird of the State of Arkansas.' Nearly a century later, the mockingbird still holds that spot, and it's confirmed on official state materials including Arkansas Secretary of State education worksheets and the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
How to recognize a northern mockingbird
If you're trying to picture Arkansas's state bird or spot one in the field, the northern mockingbird is pretty easy to pick out once you know what to look for. It's a medium-sized songbird with a slender build, and its overall coloring is a soft gray-brown on top with a paler, almost whitish breast and belly.
The quickest field tip: watch for the white wing patches. Mockingbirds have two white wingbars on each wing, and when they take flight (or do their characteristic 'wing flash' display on the ground), those patches light up noticeably. They also have white outer tail feathers that flash as they move. That combination of pale gray body and flashing white wing and tail markings makes them one of the easier birds to identify, even at a glance.
- Overall pale gray coloration with a gray-brown back
- Whitish or pale buff breast and belly
- Two white wingbars on each wing
- Large white wing patches visible in flight
- White outer tail feathers that show during movement
- Long tail relative to body size
- Slender, medium build with a slightly curved bill
The northern mockingbird's range covers most of the continental United States, and Arkansas sits comfortably within its year-round territory. You're likely to spot one perched high on a fence post, rooftop, or shrub top, often singing loudly and repeatedly. That singing habit is actually how the bird got its name: mockingbirds mimic the calls of dozens of other bird species, sometimes running through 10 or more songs in quick succession.
The story behind the 1929 designation
The mockingbird became Arkansas's state bird on March 5, 1929, making it one of the earlier state bird designations in the country. The 47th General Assembly pushed the resolution through with Governor Harvey Parnell signing off, and House Concurrent Resolution No. 22 made it official. It wasn't a close call or a controversial pick at the time. The mockingbird was well-established across Arkansas, familiar to residents, and recognized as a distinctive symbol of the region.
One thing worth knowing: Arkansas isn't alone in claiming the mockingbird. Several other Southern states also chose it as their state bird, which occasionally leads to the assumption that maybe it's not really Arkansas's bird. It absolutely is. The official resolution, the Secretary of State's education materials, and the Encyclopedia of Arkansas all confirm it without ambiguity.
Arkansas's other state symbols, if you're curious
If you came here because you're filling in a worksheet or studying Arkansas state symbols more broadly, here's a quick reference for the ones that come up most often together. The mockingbird is typically listed alongside the apple blossom (state flower) and the pine (state tree) in official state symbol sets, and all three show up on Arkansas Secretary of State activity sheets.
| Symbol Category | Arkansas State Symbol |
|---|---|
| State Bird | Northern Mockingbird |
| State Flower | Apple Blossom |
| State Tree | Pine |
These three come up together regularly in elementary and middle school lesson plans, so if you're an educator or a student working through an Arkansas state symbols activity, that table covers the most commonly paired trio.
A few things worth pointing out for educators
The mockingbird is a great teaching bird because it's observable almost anywhere in Arkansas, not just in wildlife refuges or rural areas. You can spot them in suburban yards, along roadsides, and on school campuses. For classroom use, a few things make it especially useful:
- Students can often observe one in real life, not just in pictures
- The mimicry behavior is immediately interesting and easy to demonstrate with audio recordings
- The white wing flash is a distinctive ID marker kids can remember without detailed ornithology knowledge
- The 1929 designation date gives a concrete anchor for Arkansas history timelines
- The scientific name, Mimus polyglottos, literally means 'many-tongued mimic,' which connects to the bird's behavior in a memorable way
For quick verification with students, the Arkansas Secretary of State's education section hosts official state symbols worksheets that list the mockingbird directly. That's a reliable primary source that's easy to pull up in a classroom setting.
The short answer, if you just need it fast
Arkansas's state bird is the northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos). It was made official on March 5, 1929, through House Concurrent Resolution No. 22, under Governor Harvey Parnell and the 47th General Assembly. It's gray with white wing patches, it mimics other birds, and it lives in Arkansas year-round. That's the complete answer, whether you need it for a trivia question, a school worksheet, or just genuine curiosity.
FAQ
Is Arkansas’s state bird just “mockingbird,” or specifically the northern mockingbird?
Arkansas’s state bird is the northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos). If you see a “mockingbird” listed without the “northern” label, it still refers to this same species in Arkansas’s context, because the state designation is for the northern mockingbird.
How would I know I’m looking at Arkansas’s state bird in real life?
The bird’s name and the animal’s real behavior line up, mockingbirds are famous for mimicry. In Arkansas you will often hear one singing from an elevated spot (fence posts, rooftops, tree tops) before you see it clearly.
What bird could I confuse with a northern mockingbird, and how do I avoid the mistake?
Yes, mockingbirds have look-alikes, especially other gray songbirds. The fastest confirmation is the double white wingbars and the white “wing flash” in flight, plus white outer tail feathers during movement. If those features do not show, keep looking.
When is the best time of year (and time of day) to spot a northern mockingbird in Arkansas?
Mockingbirds are present year-round in Arkansas, so you do not need a specific season to spot one. That said, they are easier to detect in the early morning and late afternoon because they sing more actively during those windows.
Do I need to write “Northern Mockingbird,” or is “mockingbird” enough for schoolwork?
If you are doing a worksheet, use the exact wording “Northern Mockingbird.” For science or identification questions, the scientific name (Mimus polyglottos) is usually optional, but it can help if the assignment asks for both common and scientific names.
Why do some people online act like the answer might be different for Arkansas?
No, the state bird designation is not based on popularity alone. Arkansas’s official pick was adopted in 1929 through a formal resolution, which is why it stays consistent even if people online debate which state birds overlap.
What’s the quickest reliable way to double-check the official Arkansas state bird for a project?
If you are trying to verify quickly, search for Arkansas’s “state symbols” materials from official state education resources, not generic listicles. Those worksheets typically show the state bird directly and match the official designation.
Does the northern mockingbird actually live in Arkansas, or is it just a symbolic choice?
The northern mockingbird’s range includes Arkansas because it is widespread across much of the southern and central United States. That means sightings are common in both suburban and more rural areas, not only in remote habitat.
What’s the correct scientific name spelling for the northern mockingbird?
Mimus polyglottos can be spelled and pronounced a lot of ways by students. If your assignment wants the scientific name, copy it exactly as Mimus polyglottos, capitalization matters for the genus (Mimus) but the species (polyglottos) is lowercase.
If I only get a quick glance, what should I focus on to confirm it’s a northern mockingbird?
A good observation method is, first locate the perched bird, then wait for flight or a ground display to catch the white wing patches and wingbars. If you only watch while it stays still, you can miss the most distinctive ID cue.