Kansas State Birds are a will to the state ’s rich biodiversity , offering a delicious regalia of colors , form , and sounds . From the refined flight of the Eastern Meadowlark to the vivacious plumage of the Indigo Bunting , each hoot adds its own unique magical spell to Kansas ’s landscape .
Whether soaring high above the prairies or flitting among the tree diagram , these avian residents enrich the born tapis of Kansas with their mien . Let ’s explore the bewitching world of Kansas State Birds and marvel at the wonders they bring to our skies .
Different Types of Kansas State Birds
Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis ) is a average - sized songbird , measuring 8.75 inches in distance , weighing 1.6 troy ounce , and with a 12 - inch wingspan . Recognizable by their perky summit and vivid orange - bolshie beak , males are vividred with a blackface and throat , while females are greyish - chocolate-brown with cherry highlight . Their vocal include a distinct “ pichew - pichew - pichew , masticate , jaw , jaw , chew . ” Common in Kansas , they love grim - oil sunflower sow at feeders .
Blue Jay
The Blue Jay ( Cyanocitta cristata ) is a jolly big shuttle , mensurate 11 inches in duration , consider 3 Panthera uncia , with a 16 - column inch wingspread . It has a crest , straight ignominious bill , blue upperparts , and gray - bloodless underparts . famed feature include livid cheek , black facial ancestry , and a narrow black necklace . Blue Jays make messy cup nest in trees and feed on acorns , Nut , dirt ball , and more . Their call is a nasal consonant “ Nyeah ! Nyeah ! Nyeah ! ”
American Robin
The American Robin ( Turdus migratorius ) is a intimate thrush , 10 inches long , weighing 2.7 ounces , with a 17 - in wingspan . It is sorry gray above and brick cerise below , featuring an orange - yellow bill and white eye markings . Both sexes are similar , but males are coloured . In flight , they show blanched tail corners . Robins forage on the ground for louse and insects and flock to eat berries in wintertime . Their song is a pollyannaish “ sunny , cheery , cheery , cheery , cheer , sunniness . ”
Mourning Dove
The Mourning Dove ( Zenaida macroura ) is a intermediate - sized peacenik , 12 inches long , weighing 4.2 ounces , with an 18 - column inch wingspan . It has a grey - brown physical structure , foresightful tail end , little black extension spots , and lissome dark beak . Both sexes have grey-haired eyerings and a smutty facial mark , with Male showing more gray and iridescence . Known for its “ hooOOA , hoo , hoo , hoo ” vocal , this dove pasturage on seeds and grains , often chew the fat feeders and construct messy control stick nests in trees .
Black-capped Chickadee
The Black - capped Chickadee ( Poecile atricapilla ) is asmall bird , 5.25 in long , weighing 0.39 ounces , with an 8 - column inch wingspan . It has a fatal capital , pitch-dark throat , white face , and a stubby bootleg beak . Both sexes search likewise . They scrounge for insects , seeds , and fruit , often advert upside down from branchlet . These doll nuzzle in tree cavities and visit feeders frequently . Their song is a whistled “ see bee , see bee . ”
American Crow
The American Crow ( Corvus brachyrhynchos ) is a big , all - black bird , 17.5 in long , weighing 1 pound , with a 39 - in wingspread . It has a unattackable , portly bill and iridescent purple and spicy hue in sure light . Both sexes look alike , featuring tenacious , broad wings , and a blanket tail . Known for their “ Caw ! Caw ! ” call , these intelligent bird scrounge in flocks , eating carrion , yield , ejaculate , insects , and small animals . They build bulky stick nest gamey in tree .
Red-bellied Woodpecker
TheRed - belly out Woodpecker(Melanerpes carolinus ) is a average - sized razz , 9.25 inches long , weighing 2.2 ounce , with a 16 - inch wingspan . It hasblack and whitebarring on its back and wings , pale hoar underparts , and a small reddish dapple on the paunch . Male have red from bill to nape , while females have an orange - red-faced spot above the Federal Reserve note and red on the nucha . They forage for germ , nuts , and louse , and nest in tree diagram cavity . Their call is a trashy “ Qwerr ! ”
Downy Woodpecker
TheDowny Woodpecker(Dryobates pubescens ) is a small bird , 6.75 in long , weighing 0.95 apothecaries' ounce , with a 12 - in wingspan . It has ablack and whitepattern , with male skylark a ruby-red patch on the back of their head . This specie has a shortblack beak and a whitetuft at its alkali . They scrounge for insects , seeds , and suet , and nest in tree cavities . Their calls admit a sharp “ Pik ! ” and a trilled “ Ch , ch , ch , ch , ch , ch , ch ! ”
House Finch
The House Finch ( Haemorhous mexicanus ) is a sparrow - sized doll , 6 inch long , weighing 0.88 ounces , with a 10 - inch wingspread . Males are orange - crimson or rosiness - red on the header , pharynx , and breast , with brown streaks on their back and flank . Females are streaked grey - brown without red . They feed on seeds , buds , fruit , and heyday , often visiting feeders . Their song is a warbling “ chip shot , flake , chiprididip , ZREEYachip . ” They nest in tree , construction ledges , and standardized spots .
American Goldfinch
The American Goldfinch ( Carduelis tristis ) is a small finch , 5 inches long , weighing 0.46 troy ounce , with a 9 - inch wingspread . Summer males are lustrous lemonyellow with a blackcap and black wings , while female person and wintertime birds are grey , buff , and yellowish with two pale wing bars . They feed on seeds from low plants and trees and visit eater . Their birdcall is “ swit sweet-smelling , sipsipsipchichisweetsweet . ” They build tightly weave cup nests high in shrubs or low-spirited trees .
European Starling
The European Starling ( Sturnus vulgaris ) is a chubby doll , 8.5 inches long , weighing 2.9 ounces , with a 16 - in wingspread . In summer , they have lustrous black plumage withpurple and greenhighlights , yellow hooter , and white spots . Males and female person are standardised , but male person are glossier . In wintertime , they have morewhite spots and blackbeaks . They bung on insects , fruit , and seeds , and build soft loving cup nest in cavities . Their song is a jumbled “ tiktiktitZHREEree .. tiktiktik .. ZHREE ” .
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose ( Branta canadensis ) is a turgid bird , vary in duration from 35 to 45.2 inches , librate between 5.29 to 19.8 pounds , with a wingspan of 50 to 67 inches . It has a greyish - brownish consistency , long black neck , andblack headwith white pharynx and cheeks . Both sexes seem likewise , with pale blackball , awhite bellyand undertail , and a short black and blank tail . Their Sung dynasty is a honking “ uurrRUNK ! uurrRUNK ! ”
Tufted Titmouse
The Tufted Titmouse ( Baeolophus bicolor ) is a low , crest bird , 6.5 inches long , weighing 0.75 ounces , with a 9.75 - inch wingspan . It has a blue - gray body , white face , and peach - orangeness flanks . Males and females look alike , with a small black mark above their stubby bleak beak . They forage in small group for insects and seed in woodlands and Rosa Parks , and often visit boo bird feeder . Their song is a repetitious “ peter peter peter ” .
House Sparrow
In the Atlantic rain forest of southeasterly Brazil , a House Sparrow ( Passer domesticus ) perch on a branch . This small bird measures 6.25 inch in distance , weighing 0.98 apothecaries' ounce , with a wingspan of 9.5 inches . It has a embonpoint gray and brownish soundbox , with male featuring a gray-haired and rufous fountainhead and black markings near their eyes and throat . Their strain is a well-disposed series of chirping speech sound , “ see , twitter , see , twitter , see , twitter ” .
Dark-eyed Junco
The Dark - eyed Junco ( Junco hyemalis ) is a sparrow - alike bird valuate 6.25 inches in length , weighing 0.67 ounces , with a wingspread of 9.25 inch . It has a pallid conical billhook and dark-skinned eye . Most juncos display ticket gray or gray and brownish plumage with white bellies and under their quarter . They scrounge on the ground for seeded player and insects in wooded expanse and parks , often forming flocks during the non - breeding time of year . Their song is a short , plain trill , “ sipsipsipsipsipsipsip ” .
Red-winged Blackbird
The Red - winged Blackbird ( Agelaius phoeniceus ) is a average - sized merl , measuring 8.75 column inch in distance , weigh 1.8 troy ounce , with a wingspread of 13 inch . Male feature a scarlet patch border by pale yellow on their wings , while female are streaked brown - gray with an orange - buff supercilium and pharynx . They tip on seeds , grain , and insects in open habitats , often form large raft . Their flashy Sung dynasty is a classifiable “ kan - keree ! ” , keep company by “ cheque ! ” call and a high up - pitch whistling .
Carolina Wren
The Carolina Wren ( Thryothorus ludovicianus ) is a flyspeck bird , measuring 5.5 inches long and librate .74 ounce , with a wingspan of 7.5 inches . It boasts crimson - brown and buff feather , a long , sharp beak , and a typical white brow . This enliven bird forage for insects in impenetrable vegetation , often pass in pairs . They construct cup nest in bodily cavity of stumps , bushes , or even pot plants . Their melodious Sung dynasty , including the familiar “ teakettle , teakettle , teakettle ” , fills gardens and parks in the eastern USA and part of Mexico .
Northern Flicker
The Northern Flicker ( Colaptes auratus ) , Alabama ’s state bird , is a sizable woodpecker , assess 12.5 inches long and weighing 4.6 ounces , with a wingspread of 20 inches . rollick burn and grey plume , they display black blackball on their backs and have a distinctive dim scratch on their breast .
Males in the east sport a tawny throat and face with a black moustache , while westerly males have mostly grey-haired heads . These outspoken bird emit loud calls , including a repeat “ kick , charge , kik , kik , kik.kik.kik.kik.kik.kik.kik.kik ! ” as they forage for emmet and insects on the ground in wooded and open habitats throughout Canada , the USA , and Mexico .
Red-Tailed Hawk
TheRed - tag Hawk(Buteo jamaicensis ) is a significant raptor , measuring 19 inches in length and weighing 2.4 pounds , with an telling wingspread of 49 inches . Identified by its panoptic , orange or reddish stern , this hawk gasconade dark brown plume above and pale undersides adorned with dark mark . While soaring , it utter its distinctive call , a cheap “ Kreeeyahh ! ” Often found in forest near open areas , it builds magnanimous stick nest high in trees and preys on small animals like squirrel and skunk .
Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture ( Cathartes aura ) is a sizable bird of prey , valuate 26 inch in duration and weigh 4 pounds , with an telling wingspan of 67 inches . Identified by its dark brownish - black plumage , smallred head , and retentive , broad wings , both Male and females share these characteristic .
This scavenger in the main feeds on carrion and can be observe soaring with its wing in a distinctive “ pentad ” shape . Turkey Vultures nest on the ground in sequestered areas and are commonly found across a wide mountain chain of habitat . They emit hissing sound rather than distinctive bird calls .
Great Blue Heron
TheGreat Blue Heron(Ardea herodias ) is a large , gray and sick brown wading bird with a length of 46 inches , weight of 5.3 pounds , and wingspan of 72 inches . It has a long cervix , leg , and a strong yellowish beak . This Hero boast a pitch-dark andwhite headwith a wispy black crest and rufous second joint . It fertilise on fish and pocket-sized beast . In flight , it build slow , deep flaps with its encompassing gray and black wings . These dame build messy stick nests and breed in colonies , often in swamps , emitting a “ Grunk ! Grunk ! ” sound when involve flight .
White-breasted Nuthatch
The White - breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta carolinensis ) is a sparrow - sized razz , 5.75 inches long , weighing 0.74 ounces , with an 11 - inch wingspread . It has a longish , penetrating , slightly retrousse beak and a myopic black and white tail . Blue - gray above and whitened below with some chestnut tree on its belly and undertail , males have a black cap and nape while females have grayish .
This bird forages for insects , nut , and seed by crawl along branches and tree shorts , often chat feeders . It cuddle in tree cavity or nest boxes . Its song is a adenoidal , laugh - like “ wehn wehn wehn wehn wehn wehn wehn wehn ” .
Mallard
The Mallard ( Anas platyrhynchos ) is a 23 - inch , 2.4 - Irish punt duck with a 35 - inch wingspan . Males have a metal gullible caput , yellow bill , and chestnut breast , while females are mottled brown and buff with a dark pennant and eye stripe . Both sexes display a green - blue wing while bordered with blanched in flight .
They forage for insect larvae , germ , and cereal in shallow water and subject area . Females grow a “ quack , quack ” call . Anas platyrhynchos nest on the priming coat in grass or under bushes . Found in pool , marshes , and wetlands across Canada , the USA , and Eurasia , this coinage is a conversant sight near people .
Killdeer
The Killdeer ( Charadrius vociferus ) is a 10.5 - inch , 3.3 - Panthera uncia plover with a 24 - inch wingspread . It has a dark brown upper body , white underpart , two black breast bands , and a patterned face . Both sex share a slender disgraceful broadside , scarlet - orange eyerings , and long pallid leg . In flight , its long darkwings show white stripes , and its torpedo - shaped orange tail has a pitch-dark tip . Vocal and common , the Killdeer grass for insects and cum in open grassy areas , often send for “ tideer , tideer , tideer . ”
Common Grackle
The Common Grackle ( Quiscalus quiscula ) is a 12.5 - inch , 4 - snow leopard wench with a 17 - inch wingspan . This jay - sizedbird has glossy blackplumage with chatoyant purple , grim , greenish , and bronze highlights , pallid eyes , and a tenacious , wedge - shaped tail . Both sex have stout grim pecker and strong legs , though females have shorter seat and less opalescence . Common Grackles foraging in open habitat , eating insect , seeds , and minuscule animals , and make bulky pin nests in coniferous tree . They are outspoken , often calling “ Sherink ! ”
Eastern Bluebird
The Eastern Bluebird ( Sialia sialis ) is a small , 7 - inch , 1.1 - snow leopard bird with a 13 - inch wingspread . male person have vivacious blue upperparts , orange on the pharynx and flanks , and a white belly . Females are blue - gray with a white eyering . They forage for insect and yield , capture insects mid - flight or from the ground . They draw close in tree cavity or nest boxes . Known for their melodic birdcall , “ fer fer chidip fer , ” Eastern Bluebirds thrive in unresolved habitats across southern Canada , the USA , and parts of Mexico .
Barn Swallow
Barn Swallows ( Hirundo rustica ) are small to medium - sized swallows , 6.75 in long , weighing .67 ounces , with a 15 - inch wingspan . They have dark , steel - blue upperparts , peach - orange underpart , and rich chestnut on the throat . Male and females appear similar , but females are paler with brusque empennage . These swallows forage for insects mid - flight over field and open home ground . They construct mud cup nest on b and structures . Their song is a complex “ chipchipfitfibitchipfibitfwip . ”
Brown-headed Cowbird
The Brown - manoeuvre Cowbird ( Momothrus ater ) is a 7.5 - inch Turdus merula weighing 1.5 ounces , with a 12 - in wingspan . male are glossy black with a brown header , while females are dark grizzly with a lily-white throat . They forage in flocks for seeds and insect on the ground , often near gravid graze animals . Cowbirds lay their eggs in other snort ’ nests . male spill the beans a typical “ qwuipuh see ! ” song . They flourish in field , pastures , and open country .
Ring-billed Gull
TheRing - billed Gull(Larus delawarensis ) is a 17.5 - inch gull weighing 1.1 pounds with a 48 - inch wingspan . It is pallid gray and white-hot with a classifiable black ring on its xanthous beak , yellow leg , and black - atilt wing . Juveniles have pink and black snoot . This opportunistic confluent scavenges for Pisces , carrion , and other items . Ring - billed Gulls breed in colonies on the ground . Their call is a luxuriously - vend “ kleea ” and a express mirth “ KLEE .. KLEEE .. kleeya , kleeya , kleeya ” .
Indigo Bunting
The Indigo Bunting ( Passerina cyanea ) is a 5.5 - inch wench press .51 troy ounce with an 8 - inch wingspan . male person are deep , dark blue with black on their face , wings , and tail . female are pale brown with a blank pharynx and belly , a jot of a buffy eyering , and syncope streaks below .
They tip on insects , seeds , and berries , foraging on the undercoat and in vegetation . Indigo Buntings make open cupful nest in shrubs using grass and flabby plant life matter . Their song is a game “ seet seet , sweet perfumed , chip chup , swee sweet ” and they often call “ Pik ! ” .
Eurasian Collared-Dove
The Eurasian Collared - Dove ( Streptopelia decaocto ) measures 13 inches , weigh 7 ounces , with a wingspan of 22 inches . Both males and female person resemble each other , displaying a pale tan and gray plumage with a black scruff soft touch and slender black schnoz .
feed principally on grain and seeds feel on the ground , they also visit birdfeeder , specially around farm and food grain silos . Their nests , made of mussy stick , are commonly found in tree diagram and social structure near human habitat . Their distinctive call is a rhythmical “ hoo hoo hoowuh hoo WUH hoowuh hoo WUH ! ” .
Harris’s Sparrow
The Harris ’s Sparrow ( Zonotrichia querula ) meter 7.5 inches , weigh 1.3 ounces , with a wingspan of 10.5 inches . Its grossbeak - like appearance includes a conical pink nozzle and dapple grey and brown plume , with distinct black markings on the typeface , pharynx , and crest .
eat on seed , berries , and insects , it scrounge on the ground and low vegetation . Its vocal is a clear , luxuriously - pitched “ teee tee teeing ground ” , accompanied by a short , clinking “ tink ! ” call distinction . This metal money breeds in northern Canada ’s subarctic boreal forest and winters in the central USA , including Kansas .
Eastern Meadowlark
The Eastern Meadowlark ( Sturnella magna ) is a chunky , American robin - sized shuttlecock , measuring 9.5 inches and weighing 3.2 ounces , with a wingspan of 14 inches . Sporting dappled pale - browned upperparts , it sport a distinctive smutty “ V ” mark on its yellowish chest .
Foraging mainly for insect and grubs by probing the solid ground , it nest on the priming in grassy habitat . Its little , melodious song , “ two tee tureeah ” , distinguishes it . This specie is usual across southeastern Canada , the eastern USA , and into northern South America , including Kansas .
Baltimore Oriole
The Baltimore Oriole ( Icterus galbula ) is a smallish blackbird with a length of 8.75 inches , librate 1.2 ounces , and a wingspread of 11.5 in . male boast rich orangeness colors on their undersides , shoulder , wings , and tail , contrasting with their black upperparts and read/write head . female person and new fowl are dull orange with dark wings and two pale wing barroom .
They junket on insect , caterpillars , fruit , and nectar , often visiting feeders for grape jelly . Baltimore Orioles are known for their melodious song , “ turee turee tureeturee tureeturree ” , and they wander hanging nest made of grass and vegetation . These doll are widespread across much of central and southern Canada , the easterly USA , and are usually found in Kansas .
Song Sparrow
The Song Sparrow ( Melospiza melodia ) is a little , streaked songster with a length of 6.25 inch , weighing 0.7 ounces , and a wingspan of 8.25 inches . Both male and female person have grey and brown plumage with white underpart adorn with a dark mark on the breast . They boast a cheerful birdcall characterized by a trill , “ seet serate sitsziziziziziziziz seet ” , and are often found in brushy home ground across southern Alaska , Canada , and the USA .
These sparrows bung on insects , seeds , and small fruit , foraging on the ground and chit-chat bird feeders for millet . They construct cupful nest from supergrass and stem , typically placed near the ground in shrubbery or low trees .
White-throated Sparrow
The White - throated Sparrow ( Zonotrichia albicollis ) is a chunky sparrow , measuring 6.75 inches in length and weighing 0.91 ounce , with a wingspan of 9 column inch . Both males and female sport a white pharynx and clear-cut bootleg andwhite or tan stripeson their head . They scrounge for cum , insects , and berries on the ground , often scratching away leaves to uncover hidden food .
During breeding season , they construct cupful nests using grass , bark , and twigs on the earth beneath dense flora . These sparrows migrate to winter in the easterly and southwestern USA , emit sharp “ tink ” calls and sing a clear , whistle song reminiscent of “ Ohhh Canada Canada Canada ” or “ Ohhh , Cana , Cana , Cana ” .
Eastern Phoebe
The Eastern Phoebe ( Sayornis Little Phoebe ) is a small to medium - sized tyrant bird , measure 7 inches in duration and press 0.7 ounce , with a wingspan of 10.5 inches . It has a plain appearance , with dark brown - grey-haired upperparts and white underparts , along with some Thomas Gray on its boob . male person and females seem alike , while young shuttle have pale jaundiced bellies .
Eastern Phoebes feed on dirt ball , snap them up with their slender beak while rest low or mid - stature in woodlands . They also make loving cup nest of mud , moss , and leaves on bumpy rock outcrop or under bridges . This metal money breeds in woodland and park in Canada and the easterly USA , and wintertime in similar habitats in the southeastern USA and Mexico . Their distinctive vocal sounds like their name , “ see - BEE ! See BIDIT ” .
Eastern Kingbird
The Eastern Kingbird ( genus Tyrannus tyrannus ) is a medium - sized true flycatcher , value 8.5 in in length and weighing 1.4 ounces , with a wingspread of 15 inches . It has a distinctive blackish upperparts and white-hot underpart , with Male and females appearing identical . One of its key feature is the sheer white tip on its longish , rectangular tail . Eastern Kingbirds primarily feed on insects and berries , catchingbugs in escape by flyingfrom a perch or hover to pick berries from trees . They reconstruct lax loving cup nests of grass and twigs in trees .
These hoot cover in meadow and open habitats across a big part of Canada , the eastern USA , and part of western North America , migrating to South America for winter . Their richly - pitched calls phone like “ sipea sitpipee ” .
Great Crested Flycatcher
The Great Crested Flycatcher ( Myiarchus crinitus ) is a medium - sized tyrant bird , measuring 8.75 in in length and consider 1.2 ounces , with a wingspread of 13 inches . Both male person and females have olive - brown upperparts , hoar on their face , pharynx , and breast , and yellowed on their low-spirited bosom and belly . They also sport two whitened backstage bars , white edging on some annexe feathers , and a scarlet - brownish tail .
These flycatchers in the main prey on insects and small fruit , watch prey in the strain , from leafage , or on the ground . They construct soft , shallow cup nests made of moss , grass , and other botany inside tree cavities . cover in wooded home ground across fundamental and southerly Canada and much of the eastern USA , they transmigrate to tropical area in southern Florida , the Caribbean , and southerly Mexico to Venezuela . Their classifiable call is a short but loud and rising “ Wheep ! ” , accompanied by inadequate “ reedy ” calls and abbreviated “ reep ” vocalizations .
Red-headed Woodpecker
TheRed - headed Woodpeckeris a striking medium - sized bird known for its bold black - and - white feather and vivacious red head . Found across southern Canada and the eastern USA , it nests in tree cavities and forages for seeds , nuts , yield , and insects . With a distinct “ kwueeh ” call , it displays an wave flight radiation pattern while catching insects mid - air . This uniquewoodpecker is the only North American speciesknown to put in food item , covering them with Ellen Price Wood or barque .
