As state bird for 100 years, cardinals are still important omens of our state’s health

By: Dan Stone

Outlets: Kentucky Lantern

Published: June 30, 2026

Words: 666

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 2 days ago

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A century ago, in 1926, Kentucky lawmakers adopted “the native redbird, commonly known as the Kentucky cardinal… [as] the official state bird of Kentucky (KRS 2.080).” In doing so, Kentucky pioneered environmental stewardship, becoming the first US state to formally adopt a state bird.

While I write today to celebrate a century of the native redbird representing Kentucky, the cardinal’s career as a regional icon actually took flight 13 years earlier, in 1913. …

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