#i also knew the tree (the coastal redwood) and the fossil (smilodon californicus) off the top of my head

[juno-infernal]

Okay serious question, I'm not from the US - is a state bird just something the average American just knows off the top of their head for their home state?

i’m not sure how universal it is, but in california at least, the state flag, flower (the california golden poppy), and bird (the california quail) are things we learn in primary school.

they’re among the older and more significant types of state symbols. US states have a tendency to designate a lot of fairly random stuff as official state symbols (see california’s list here, including such essential categories as official state soil, dance style, outdoor play, prehistoric artifact, tall ship, and freshwater fish), but i think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who knows more than a few off the top of their head.

the presence of the bird and the flower in a lot of art representing the state and in early education means a lot more of us know and remember them. other USAmericans are welcome to chime in here about whether they had to look it up/if they consider their state bird to be common knowledge— i’m curious now too!