The Symbols of Spring

Texas landscapes have transformed into a kaleidoscope of colors, as if God has revived Joseph's multicolored robe and turned it into a landscape painting for all to admire. The Northern Mockingbirds are passionately singing these days, and the bluebonnets are in bloom. This brings to mind the history of some of our state symbols. The state flower was selected in 1901, but debate continued for many decades about which bluebonnet species was the actual chosen flower. In 1971, it was "RESOLVED… that the Lupinus texensis and any other variety of bluebonnet not previously recorded be recognized along with the Lupinus subcarnosis as the official state flower of the State of Texas."

The Northern Mockingbird was designated as the state bird in 1927 because it was noted as “a fighter for the protection of his home, falling, if need be, in its defense, like any true Texan."

The mockingbird is also the state bird of Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida, and Mississippi. According to a recent Audubon article, "because of the Northern Mockingbird’s impressive vocal talents, the illegal pet trade depleted their populations by poaching wild birds across the east coast in the 19th century. The best singers were worth up to $50 in 1828—that’s more than $1,300 in today’s dollars. A study released in October 2019 found that, in addition to mimicking the calls of other birds and manmade noises like music and machinery, Northern Mockingbirds have been known to imitate at least 12 different species of North American frogs and toads. In fact, John James Audubon was so impressed by this bird's singing ability, he wrote of the Northern Mockingbird in Birds of America, “There is probably no bird in the world that possesses all the musical qualifications of this king of song, who has derived all from Nature's self."

The Northern Mockingbird’s scientific name, Mimus polyglottos, means "many-tongued mimic." There are 16 birds that carry the name mockingbird, but the Northern Mockingbird is the only one native to the United States.

Northern Mockingbird in front of field of bluebonnets