Louisiana State Bird, Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), from NETSTATE.COM (original) (raw)

Louisiana State Bird: Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

Adoption of the Louisiana State Bird

Long before it was adopted by the Louisiana Legislature, the pelican, if not the brown pelican, was considered the state bird of Louisiana by consensus. Territorial and State Governor William C.C. Claiborne greatly admired the birds and acted as a sort of one-man promotional campaign using the birds on official documents of the territory and the state when he served.

In 1902, the pelican was made a prominent part of the official state seal and, ten years later, in 1912, the pelican and her young graced the Louisiana state flag as well.

Known as the Pelican State, Louisiana has enjoyed a long association with this bird and in 1958, the pelican was made the official state bird of Louisiana. This act was amended on July 26, 1966. At this time, thebrown pelican was specified as the official state bird and the association with the pelican on the seal of the state of Louisiana was defined.

The Louisiana Statutes

The following information is excerpted from the Louisiana Statutes, Title 49, Section 49:159.

Title 49 - State administration
SECTION RS 49:159.

§159. State bird

After July 27, 1966, the official bird for the state of Louisiana shall be the Brown Pelican as it presently appears on the seal of the state of Louisiana, and its use on the seal of the state, other insignia of the state and on all official documents is hereby authorized and directed.

Acts 1958, No. 486, §1, Amended by Acts 1966, No. 457, §1.

Additional Information

Pelecanus occidentalis (Brown Pelican): University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web.

State Bird List: List of all of the state birds.

State Birds & Flowers 1000-pc Puzzle: Created at the request of The National Wildlife Federation this design is a beautiful and informative puzzle featuring every state bird perched on the appropriate state flower.

Bird Feeders and Accessories: Backyard Birding > Bird Feeders & Accessories from Amazon.com.

State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols: A Historical Guide, Third Edition - Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer, Greenwood Press, 2002

State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and Other Symbols: A Study based on historical documents giving the origin and significance of the state names, nicknames, mottoes, seals, flowers, birds, songs, and descriptive comments on the capitol buildings and on some of the leading state histories, Revised Edition - George Earlie Shankle, Ph.D., The H.W. Wilson Company, 1938 (Reprint Services Corp. 1971)

Source: Louisiana Revised Statutes, (http://www.legis.state.la.us/), April 9, 2005
Source: State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols: A Historical Guide, Third Edition - Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer, Greenwood Press, 2002
Source: State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and Other Symbols: Revised Edition (Reprint)- George Earlie Shankle, Ph.D., The H.W. Wilson Company, 1938