Adopted 1951
What is the state bird of Oklahoma?
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Tyrannus forficatus, named Oklahoma's state bird in 1951. No other state has chosen it.
- State bird
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
- Scientific name
- Tyrannus forficatus
- Year adopted
- 1951
- Shared with
- No other state
- Status in Oklahoma
- a summer resident that nests here
- Nesting season here
- May–July
- Size
- 8.7–14.6 in, 1.3–1.9 oz
- State game bird
- Wild Turkey (1990)
Seeing a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Oklahoma
In Oklahoma the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is a summer resident that nests here. Pale grey with a salmon-pink flank wash. Extraordinarily long, forked black-and-white tail. Sharp, stuttering 'pik' and bickering chatters.
Frequently asked
What is the state bird of Oklahoma?
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus), adopted in 1951.
When did Oklahoma choose its state bird?
1951.
Do other states have the same state bird as Oklahoma?
No. Oklahoma is the only state with the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.
Can you see the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Oklahoma all year?
In Oklahoma it is a summer resident that nests here. Nesting runs about May to July.
Does Oklahoma have other official birds?
Wild Turkey (state game bird, 1990).
Adoption years from state archives and statutes as compiled in the List of U.S. state birds.