Massachusetts State Flower & Bird

A black-capped chickadee.

On Feb. 6, 1788, Massachusetts was the sixth state to become part of the United States. Like the other 49 states, Massachusetts has an official state flower and an official state bird.

The Official State Flower

The official state flower of Massachusetts is the mayflower (Epigaea regens).

The Official State Bird

The state bird is the black-capped chickadee (Penthestes atricapillus).

When

The mayflower was designated the state flower in 1918. Twenty-three years later, in 1941, the chickadee was named the official state bird.

Why

The Mayflower is the name of the ship that brought the pilgrims to what would become Massachusetts. Mayflowers grow on rocky forest soil in Massachusetts.

Black-capped chickadees nest in the northern two-thirds of the United States, which includes Massachusetts.

Other Fun Facts

In the vote for the state flower, the mayflower received 107,617 votes. The water lily got only 49,499.

The wild turkey is the state game bird of Massachusetts.

References

• NetState: Massachusetts Symbols, Emblems
• State Symbols USA: Massachusetts State Bird
• Enchanted Learning: Massachusetts: Facts, Map and State Symbols