State
Bird
Baltimore Oriole
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The
Baltimore Oriole is native to North and Central America and northern
South America. It is between seven and eight inches tall and can be
found in woods and orchards. The colors of the male's feathers are
black and a golden orange. These colors are found on the state flag,
which led to its choice as the state bird. These colors come from
the shield of the Calvert family, which founded the state of Maryland.
The female's feathers are brownish-olive and dull orange. It feeds
on caterpillars, beetles, ants, wasps, fruit and flower nectar. The
Baltimore Oriole was adopted as Maryland's state bird in 1947.
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State
Flower
Black-eyed Susan
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The
Black-Eyed Susan is found from Canada to Mexico. In the United States
it is found east of the Rocky Mountains. It normally grows in fields
and along roads. As a perennial daisy or coneflower, it is part
of the sunflower family. It grows two to three feet high and blooms
between May and August. The flower is about two to three inches
wide with thin yellow petals and a purplish brown center. The Black-Eyed
Susan was adopted as Maryland's state flower in 1918.
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State
Tree
White Oak
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The
White Oak tree can be found on the eastern side of the United States.
It can grow from 60 to 150 feet tall with a trunk between three and
four feet wide. The White Oak got its name from its gray twigs and
whitish bark, which can be up to two inches thick. White Oaks can
live up to 800 years and begin to produce acorns around the 50th year.
The acorns are food for many animals. The wood is hard and beautiful.
It is often used to build boats, barrels, and hard wood floors. The
White Oak was adopted as Maryland's state tree in 1941.
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State Flag
Click
on flag to view
larger image.
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The
Maryland flag was first flown in 1880 in Baltimore during a parade
to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Baltimore. It
honors the families of the Lords of Baltimore who founded the state
of Maryland. The family names are the Calverts and the Crosslands.
It shows the colors of each family's coat of arms-black and gold for
the Calverts and red and white for the Crosslands. The flag is divided
into four quarters. Two quarters show the gold and black colors, which
were considered the Maryland colors. The other two quarters show the
red and white colors of the Crosslands family. These colors represent
Maryland's struggle during the Civil War.
At that time many states where people owned slaves decided to secede
from (or leave) the United States in order to form a separate nation
where slavery was allowed. Even though Maryland was a state where
people owned slaves, this state decided to remain a part of the United
States when most other southern states left the Union during the Civil
War. Many people in Maryland disagreed with this decision. After the
war was over the four colors symbolized the reunion of the citizens
of Maryland. This flag was adopted in 1904.
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