The chickadee is about 4.5 inches tall with black, white and gray feathers.  It lives in forests or backyards.  It has a four-note song.  The chickadee is known for being seen on the branches of the state tree (the white pine).  The chickadee is important in the state of Maine because of its four-note song, which can communicate with other birds.  The chickadee became the state bird of Maine on March 6, 1927.

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The white pine cone and tassel is 4-8 inches long with bluish green needles.  It grows on the white pine tree, which is the state tree. The white pine tree is known for being the largest conifer in the northeastern United States. Pine trees do not grow flowers.  Instead, the tree grows cones.  Maine is the only state that has a cone as its state flower.  The white pine cone and tassel is important in the state of Maine because it has a fragrant gummy resin.  The white pine cone and tassel became the state flower of Maine on February 1, 1895.

   
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The white pine tree is about 180 feet tall with green leaves. It grows in the forests of Maine. The white pine is known for being one of the tallest evergreen trees. The white pine is important in the state of Maine because the wood has been used to make ships. The white pine became the state tree of Maine in 1945.

The Maine flag has a blue background with the state seal in the middle. There is a picture of the North Star at the top. People use it to tell which direction is north. This is important in the state of Maine because at one time Maine was the state farthest north in the country (union).  The word “dirigo” appears on the top of the seal. It is the state motto. This word means “I direct.” This reminds us that sailors used to steer their way along the coast of Maine by looking for the North Star. There is also a picture of a moose and a pine tree.  These are symbols of the state animal and the state tree. This is important in the state of Maine because the moose lives in the pine forests in Maine. There is also a picture of a farmer on the left and a seaman (a sailor) on the right.  This is important in the state of Maine because it represents the hard work of the people of Maine in early times. The Maine flag was adopted in 1909.
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