Red, white, blue — and birds! In honor of America 250, a Connecticut author has penned Feathered and Famous: Meet America’s All-Star Birds, a children’s book showcasing the official state birds of all 50 states!
WSHU’s Sabrina Garone spoke with Gail Martino to learn more. In addition to being an author, she also serves on the boards of the Connecticut Audubon Society and New Haven Bird Club.
WSHU: We're coming up on America 250, and we're talking about presidents, battles, and things surrounding 1776 — but you're looking at it through the lens of birds. Can you tell us what drew you to that approach?
GM: State birds are windows into much bigger stories about America and its states. I was starting this project, and I was thinking about America 250 going back a couple of years ago. I started researching state birds and I realized that there were no updated books on the topic. That was a huge hole in the market to me, because things have changed, you know. I'm a product developer by vocation, a writer on the side and a birder, and I started thinking, well, maybe I ought to write it! So I started doing some market research with families and others, and said, 'Hey, you know, would you be interested in this?' That led me to feel confident in going forward with the project.
WSHU: Why do we even have state birds? What's the history around that?
GM: Humans have been using birds to symbolize us for thousands of years. There's something enduring about a symbol, and a bird symbol! I think in the case of state birds, there are a number of reasons why we have them. One is that the birds symbolize qualities that we want to have, whether that's bravery, freedom, resilience, or beauty in some cases. It represents a sense of place; it represents our values.
And more recently, it represents conservation or, in some cases, conservation success!
WSHU: Also, they're just so visible, right? I can imagine back then, when they were selecting state birds, it was like 'oh, this is something I see every day!' You think that had something to do with it, as well?
GM: Absolutely. Initially, when the first state birds were being adopted, many of them were familiar backyard birds, birds that you could see all year round.
WSHU: Did you discover any unexpected stories about how some states selected their birds?
GM: There are so many. So, let's start with the national bird.
WSHU: Yes, please!
GM: So, our national bird is the bald eagle, and many people recognize that as the symbol of the United States. It started being used as the symbol of the United States back before the United States was even the United States; it was still the colonies. But the bald eagle only became the national bird in 2024 officially.
WSHU: Amazing. How?! How did we miss that for so long?
GM: Well, you know, the birds didn't complain, right? We used it, and it was sort of unofficially adopted, and sometimes that's how it goes. It's unofficial and then finally it becomes legally adopted.
WSHU: Yeah, and there's kind of a funny story with how it was picked, too, right? I remember that was always something we talked about in elementary school. There was some controversy with the turkey or something? Are you able to share that story?
GM: This is the most popular question that I'm asked — what's the story about Benjamin Franklin and the turkey? Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to his daughter criticizing the bald eagle. Now, the bald eagle has a behavior of being opportunistic. It will steal fish from other birds, for example. And so, he did not think that that was an honorable aspect of its behavior, and he thought that the turkey was more honorable in terms of how it came about its food. So, Benjamin Franklin, yes, he criticized the eagle in a private letter. No, he didn't advocate for turkey.
WSHU: Were there any other birds in the running from any other founding fathers?
GM: No, when they were developing the seal of the 13 colonies, was the artist who drew it, who suggested it.
WSHU: Yeah, and I can't imagine a better choice! I mean, it's the coolest bird there is, in my opinion! I guess getting back to the state birds, aside from our listening area, are there any other kinds of funny tidbits in other states?
GM: Oh yeah, there are so many! Well, the first thing to know is that there's not just the state bird, that's not the only honorary title. You have the state birds, and every single state in the United States has chosen a state bird, but there are also now state game birds representing our outdoor traditions and hunting. There are state raptors representing those birds of prey. Some states have state ducks, and there's even a state symbol of peace, which is only for Wisconsin. There are some states that have more than one state bird. Connecticut only has one, but South Carolina has four!
WSHU: Can we talk about Connecticut's, the American robin, right?
GM: I would love to talk about that. The American Robin is, you know, many people recognize it, especially in the spring, when you see them more on lawns. It's a thrush, and it has a rust belly, a brown back, and a black head, and it's often the first to sing in the morning, and it's the last to stop singing in the evening. Now, the story behind its selection is interesting. The bird was adopted as the Connecticut state bird in 1943. Now, imagine what was happening in the world at that time. That was during World War II. There were many Connecticut families who had a family member who was serving overseas. They were thinking, I miss them and I want them to come home safely. And so that was the mood at the time in the state. Now here's this bird that is a symbol of hope, and renewal, and spring, and coming home safely each year. I think that it was a very appropriate symbol of Connecticut then, and some of those values of hope and renewal endure.
WSHU: That's so lovely. I love that. And in New York, it's the eastern bluebird, is that correct?
GM: That's correct. Now the eastern bluebird story is interesting, as well, for very different reasons. The eastern bluebird is a thrush, just like the American robin. It's a gorgeous bird, it's red, white and blue. It's associated with rural areas in the state, farmlands, and they eat insects. Now, in the 1920s, there was a lobby including lots of votes from school children to adopt the eastern bluebird as the state bird of New York. But there was a lot of pushback from legislators in the urban areas of the state. They said, 'Hey, you know, nobody knows what a bluebird is! Nobody in New York City has seen a bluebird.' They know pigeons, they know sparrows, but nobody can recognize that bird; it can't represent all of us. It actually took 40 years for the bluebird lobby to persevere. So that's a story of how sometimes these birds can be suggested, but they're not automatically adopted.
You know, you were asking me earlier about another fun fact, and it goes to this idea about, the perseverance, and advocating for a bird. I wanted to mention the story of the recent adoption of the red-tailed hawk in New Hampshire. The reason that's so interesting is that it was done initially by fourth graders from the Lincoln Ackerman School. They revived a bill to enact the red-tailed hawk as the state raptor for that state. What was interesting was that they got shot down many times. It took them four years, but by the time these students were eighth graders, they got the bill passed! I like that story, because it's a reminder that young people have a voice for what our state, what our United States, stands for. Even they can have a role in the selection of a symbol.
WSHU: And speaking of which, I mean, that's kind of where it starts, with kids! Do you remember your first meaningful experience with birding growing up?
GM: I do, and I can thank my father, Anthony, for that. When I was very young, he always put a bird feeder out, and that got me interested in the birds in the backyard. There was one bird that was so interesting-looking. It was black, and it was orange, and it sounded like a flute. He explained to me that that was a Baltimore oriole, and it's a migratory bird, so it's only going to be there for a short amount of time. I watched it one summer, and I saw the female weaving this pendulous nest that looked so fragile, but it was so strong in all kinds of weather. I thought, wow, that is amazing. Birds are kind of interesting! That's really what got me started, and I didn't know it at the time, but all these years later, it leads me to write the book.
WSHU: Are there any challenges in writing a book that's geared towards kids? How do you go about that?
GM: This kind of book, which is essentially a reference book, is great for families. So, you write it in a way that is accessible for kids, but very easy for families as well. I think you have to trust the kids that they're going to ask questions. I've included very close-up pictures, so if the child can't read at all, they can flip through and see the pictures and see the details because kids are so physically distant from the birds. Once they begin to read, they can do that, and of course, they can be supported by their parents, educators, and so forth.
WSHU: Yeah, and kids today have screens competing for their attention all the time, right? What do birds offer that technology can't?
GM: It offers them a way to connect with their curiosity about the world. Kids are naturally curious! I see it all the time when I'm on the trails; they ask tons of questions. What is that? Why does it do that? It's a great way to spend time with your child, to unplug from the screens, to help encourage their curiosity about the world. After all, they will inherit it. It's great for them to learn about it, especially when they're young.
WSHU: Like you were saying before, this is a book for families. So, I mean, if someone wanted to take their family out to go birding this weekend, it was their first time. What do you think is the simplest first step?
GM: The good thing is, birding is very easy to get started. There's no fancy equipment, you can start in a park or in your backyard, and just start observing. Birding starts when you start observing. You can go out and start to notice birds over time. If you want to add binoculars, if you want to add a guide, if you want to add a song identification app, you can do that. But it's very easy to get started. Many libraries offer birding kits for families, so you can borrow it and you don't always have to buy.
WSHU: That's nice, like binoculars and field guides and things like that?
GM: Exactly.
WSHU: Or take your book out, right?
GM: Yeah! And that one has a checklist so that you can check off all the state birds.
WSHU: That's fun! I've heard people say birding is kind of like Pokémon, got to collect all the characters!
GM: It's a treasure hunt!
WSHU: And even with adults, I feel like birding has become more popular. We were kind of just talking about this — It's so accessible, but why do you think that is?
GM: Right, so during the pandemic, a lot of bird clubs noticed a surge in membership, right? People were going outside and they were starting to rediscover nature and some of that interest. When I was growing up, bird watching was considered an older person's hobby. But that is not the case any longer. I talked to young people all the time or young families, people in their twenties and thirties — they're out there because they want to unplug from screens, they want to reconnect with nature. It's somewhat meditative. It helps them explore other parts of their state that they might not go to. People are understanding the connection to unplugging and wellness, as well.
WSHU: If you could take our listeners anywhere in Connecticut for a birding experience, where would you recommend and what would we see?
GM: There's so many, and all over the state! One of the places that I really enjoyed near my house is Hammonasset State Park. It's a beach, but it also has so many areas to hike. In New Haven, you can go to East Rock Park or Lighthouse Park. You have Sherwood Island in Fairfield County, and there's so many others around the state.
WSHU: Can we go back to some of the state birds? I didn't mean to totally gloss over that, but if you have any other like stories or tidbits to share from that. Does any state have a really unique or funny bird that they've chosen as their state bird?
GM: Well, for example, Louisiana has the brown pelican. That has been associated with the state for over 100 years. It's actually on the state flag! And so that one was adopted in part because it was endangered at one time, and now it has come back. That's one of the only water birds. The only woodpecker is a yellow-shafted flicker — that's the bird of Alabama. Massachusetts has the black-capped chickadee — that's an interesting bird because it's there all year, it's really hardy. But also, what's so interesting is that it hides seeds and, in the fall, its brain actually grows larger to remember where it stored them.
WSHU: Is that bird the one on the Maine license plate?
GM: Yes, because the chickadee is also the state bird of Maine.
WSHU: Okay, so they can share! There's no competing for birds between states.
GM: Yeah, and actually, as you say that, it reminds me, so there are several birds that there's like a top 4 in popularity. The most popular state bird is the northern cardinal. And there are a number of contiguous states around West Virginia, including Illinois, in that area that have selected that bird. The second most popular is the western meadowlark, which is in the plains states. The third, which is down in the south, is the northern mockingbird — around Florida and Mississippi and in those areas. The fourth is actually the state game bird, which is that has represented in four states — the wild turkey. The turkey got its moment!
WSHU: We don't feel bad for the turkey, then, that's good! Can we just talk one more time about the bald eagle again? Because I know they were endangered at one point, too, and now we have a lot of them in Connecticut.
GM: Yeah, absolutely. Back in the 60s and 70s, DDT, which is an insecticide, was widely used across the state and across many other states. The problem with that chemical is that it reduced the thickness of the eggshells of not just the bald eagle, but many birds, like the osprey, for example. As those eggs were brooding, many of them broke. And so, there were many failed nests. Once the use of that chemical was restricted, then you saw a resurgence of some of those populations. It's a story about how once we understand the problem, and we can do something about it, you know, we can make a positive difference. There are a number of places around the state where you can observe ospreys, bald eagles, and so forth. It's always exciting to see those big birds!
WSHU: Tell folks where to find the book to, I know you have some events coming up as well.
GM: You can find the book Feathered and Famous Meat, America's All-Star Birds on Amazon and on BrightwingPress.com. I'll be the author in residence at Cafe Atlantique in Milford. I'll be there from 6:00 to 7:00 on Friday, July 31, and from 5-7 p.m. I'll be at the 28th annual Sharon summer book signing, and there are many other things to do. This is a popular time for bird topics.
