What Is the State Bird & Flower of Nevada?

Sagebrush is the state flower of Nevada.

Known as the "silver state" and the "sagebrush state," Nevada designated the sagebrush, or Artemisia tridentata, as its state flower for its bright, yellow petals that can be seen from the state's highest regions. The mountain bluebird, or Sialia currucoides, is the state's designated bird and is one of the 50 most frequently viewed birds in the state.

Mountain Bluebird Adoption

Adopted in 1967, the mountain bluebird was first suggested as a state bird on April 12, 1967, when Stan Irwin, a Clark County Assemblyman, introduced a bill for adoption as part of NRS 235.060. The bill passed and was signed by the governor on April 4 of the following year.

Mountain Bluebird Significance

According to the website Birdzilla.com, mountain bluebirds and western bluebirds are both common in Nevada, but mountain bluebirds appear in a greater number of areas across the state, including urban locations such as woodlands, parks and golf courses.

Mountain Bluebird Identification

A member of the thrush family, mountain bluebirds have a warbling call that is similar to a robin. Female mountain bluebirds are brown with a blue-colored tail and wing, while males are a bright azure-colored blue with a white underside.

Sagebrush Adoption

The sagebrush was adopted as the Nevada state flower on March 20, 1917, under the same NRS 235.060 bill as the state bird adoption.

Sagebrush Significance

Sagebrush is also widespread in Nevada, growing everywhere from the desert to the within the city limits of Las Vegas, where it adds a splash of color to fields and urban areas. Cattle and sheep enjoy sagebrush year-round, and tribes in the Nevada region use the leaves of sagebrush for medicine and mat-weaving.

Identifying Sagebrush

Grown in regions where it is difficult for most vegetation to grow, sagebrush is found often in Nevada's deserts and is a bush that can grow from 1 to 12 feet high. Significant features of the sagebrush are its aromatic scent, its greenish-gray twigs and its yellow flower petals.

Sagebrush as a State Symbol

The sagebrush flower appears on the state's commemorative state quarter, which was designed and minted in 2006. The "Nevada Sagebrush" is also the name of the student newspaper at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. On the state flag, which was adopted on March 26, 1929, and later revised in 1991, two sprigs of sagebrush frame a five-pointed star. In Nevada's state song, titled "Home Means Nevada," the sagebrush is mentioned in the line "home means the sage and the pines."

References

• State Handbook and Guide: Nevada State Bird
• State Handbook and Guide: Nevada State Flower
• Birdzilla: Nevada Bird Watching and Feeding Information
• Florapedia: Nevada State Flower
• Visit Carson City: Historic Dates, Events