The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is the official state bird of exactly seven U.S. states. That makes it the most widely shared state bird designation in the country. If you searched "state bird is cardinal" or "which state has the cardinal as its state bird," the answer is not just one state, it's seven. Those states are Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.
When people say "red cardinal" or "cardinal bird" in the context of state symbols, they're referring to the same species: the Northern Cardinal. Some states name it simply as "the cardinal" in their statutes, while Virginia explicitly pairs the common name "Northern Cardinal" with the scientific name Cardinalis cardinalis. Either way, they're all talking about the same brilliant red bird.
Here's each state along with how their official designation reads and when it was adopted:
| State | Official Wording (abbreviated) | Year Adopted |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | "The bird Cardinalis Cardinalis, commonly known as the 'Cardinal,' is designated the official State Bird of the State of Illinois." | 1929 |
| Indiana | Designated the Cardinal (also called Red Bird) as the official state bird under Indiana Code 1-2-8. | 1933 |
| Kentucky | "The native redbird, commonly known as the Kentucky cardinal (cardinalis), is the official state bird of Kentucky." | 1926 |
| North Carolina | "The cardinal is hereby declared to be the official State bird of North Carolina." | 1943 |
| Ohio | "The bird, cardinalis cardinalis, commonly known as the 'cardinal,' is the official bird of the state." | 1933 |
| Virginia | "Bird — Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)." | Listed in Virginia Code § 1-510 |
| West Virginia | Cardinal named official state bird via House Resolution 12. | 1949 |
Illinois holds the distinction of being the first of these seven states to make the choice, selecting the Northern Cardinal as its state bird in 1929. <a data-article-id="1E76B1A8-0465-46FD-93BF-56295F42E8B6">Kentucky</a> was actually the earliest adopter on record, with a resolution approved February 17, 1926, making it the first state overall to officially designate the cardinal. West Virginia came last among the seven, with the legislature formally adopting the cardinal on March 7, 1949.
Seven states. That's the definitive answer. No other bird comes close to that level of shared state-bird status in the U.S. The Northern Cardinal is the state bird of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia, seven distinct official designations across the eastern and midwestern United States. This is confirmed both by each state's individual statute language and by comprehensive ornithological sources like Britannica, which also cite the number as seven.
The cardinal's popularity as a state symbol comes down to a few practical and cultural reasons that were very real considerations when these designations were made in the early-to-mid 20th century.
The Northern Cardinal is a permanent, non-migratory resident across all seven states. Unlike many birds that pass through seasonally, cardinals are there in the snow, at the feeder in January, singing in the bare February trees. For state-symbol purposes, a bird that's present and recognizable all year long makes obvious sense. Residents across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and the rest don't need to know the exact season to spot one.
A male Northern Cardinal is essentially impossible to misidentify. No other bird in eastern North America combines that shade of red with a crest and a thick orange-red bill. When states were choosing symbols in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, selecting a bird that even a child could recognize on sight made the designation feel genuinely representative. Indiana's official FAQ even calls it the "Red Bird," which tells you how culturally embedded this bird had already become in everyday language.
Kentucky's designation references the bird as "the native redbird, commonly known as the Kentucky cardinal", a nod to the local name that had been in use long before the formal designation. West Virginia's adoption in 1949 notably involved school pupils being authorized to name the bird through House Resolution 12, connecting the state symbol directly to public participation and local identity. These weren't arbitrary bureaucratic choices; in most cases the cardinal already had strong popular recognition before the statute was written.
If you're trying to confirm you're looking at a Northern Cardinal (or explaining it to someone who isn't a birder), here are the field marks that matter:
The combination of the red crest, thick orange bill, and black mask on the male is diagnostic. Once you've seen one, you'll never misidentify it. The female takes a bit more practice, but the same structural features (crest, bill shape, body proportions) still apply.
If you landed here looking for a specific state, each of the seven cardinal states has its own dedicated page on this site with fuller detail on the designation history, the bird's presence in that state, and related symbols. If you're specifically wondering what is the state bird of ohio, Ohio's dedicated page explains the official designation and adoption details. The most-searched among them tend to be Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, likely because those three states are geographically clustered and people often look up all three when they're curious about the region. If you're also looking for what is the bird of kentucky, Kentucky's dedicated page can walk you through the official designation and adoption details.
Ohio and Indiana are frequently compared because both adopted the cardinal in 1933, the same year, and their statute language is similarly straightforward. Kentucky's designation is one of the oldest, dating to 1926, and uses the regional "redbird" name in the statute itself, making it a particularly interesting case for anyone curious about the cultural history behind state symbols. If you're researching why Ohio specifically chose the cardinal, that question has its own detailed treatment worth reading separately.
For anyone doing a broader comparison across all 50 states, this site has individual state-bird pages for every U.S. state, so you can look up any state directly or browse by bird species to see which other birds hold multiple-state designations (though none match the cardinal's count of seven). The cardinal's status as the most-shared state bird in the U.S. makes it a useful anchor point for understanding how state-bird designations work more generally, and why some birds resonate so strongly with regional identity.
For state symbols, the designations refer to the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). The “cardinal” in state statutes and common usage in these seven states points to the same species, not a generic group of cardinals or a different look-alike species.
If it lacks the male’s full combination of red crest, thick orange-red bill, and dark facial mask, treat it as a possible look-alike and don’t assume it matches the state bird. Use multiple traits (bill shape and facial pattern), and confirm with local field guides or a birding app if you are unsure.
They can vary in wording. Some statutes say “the cardinal,” while others use “Northern Cardinal” plus the scientific name. The key is that the common name phrasing still resolves to the same species.
They are permanent resident birds in all seven states, which is why they were practical symbols. You can typically find them across winter, not just during spring or summer periods.
The most common confusion is that there are multiple state birds that are red and prominent, so general search results can show non-cardinal birds or unrelated state symbols. The specific “state bird is cardinal” query should resolve to seven states, all with the Northern Cardinal.
Yes, Ohio’s official state bird is the Northern Cardinal. If you are explaining it to non-birders, keep the answer simple as “Northern Cardinal,” since “cardinal” alone can sound vague without the Northern qualifier even though the species is the same.
Kentucky is the earliest overall, with a resolution approved in 1926. Illinois is the first among the seven to be adopted in 1929, but it is not the earliest on record.
West Virginia adopted the Northern Cardinal last, with formal adoption on March 7, 1949. If you are comparing timelines across the seven, this is the outlying most recent date.
Yes, at least historically. West Virginia’s adoption process included school pupils being authorized to name the bird through House Resolution 12, which is unusual compared with typical statute-only designations.
A safe approach is to verify the exact wording in the state’s official designation language, since some organizations use “cardinal” as a team nickname or nickname for a school without making it the state bird. The state bird designation is set by the state’s statute or official legislative action, not by popular nicknames.
Ohio state bird is the Northern Cardinal. Learn key ID traits, where to spot it, and why it was chosen.
