State
Bird
Bluebird
|
Bluebirds
live all over North and South America in forests, orchards, grasslands,
and parks. The eastern bluebird is found east of the Rocky Mountains
from Canada to South America. They migrate in flocks to warmer climates
in the fall. Most bluebirds live from one to two years, but some live
up to ten. The adult male has a deep blue head, back, tail, and wings.
The female colors are similar but not as bright. Bluebirds are about
six to seven inches long. Their song is a combination of gurgling
notes and slurred whistles. The eastern bluebird was adopted as New
York's state bird in 1970. Later, 1978, the North American Bluebird
Society helped to preserve the bluebird population by placing nesting
boxes across the country.
Top Of Page
|
State Flower
Rose
|
There
are thousands of varieties of roses, which symbolize loveliness.
Roses come in many colors such as pink, red, white, and yellow.
The blossoms range in size and have a lovely fragrance. Some are
as small as a nickel, and some are as large as eggs. The rose grows
in many parts of the world in various climates and soils. Some grow
in bushes, others creep over the ground, and some climb up fences.
It's also the national flower of the United States. The rose was
adopted as New York's state flower in 1955.
Top Of Page
|
State
Tree
Sugar Maple
|
The
sugar maple tree is in the broadleaf family. It is found all over
the northeastern region of the United States, in areas that are not
too wet or too dry. They grow from 75 to 100 feet tall and have a
diameter of two to three feet at the base. The trunk has a thick,
scaly bark. The sugar maple wood is very hard and strong. It is used
for making furniture, cabinets, musical instruments, and even bowling
alleys. The sugar maple's sap produces sweet maple syrup. It was adopted
as New York's state tree in 1956.
Top Of Page
|
State Flag
Click
on flag to view
larger image.
|
The
New York State flag has a dark blue background with the coat of arms
in the center. It shows a shield that displays a mountain with water
and a rising sun. The ships in the picture are sailing on the Hudson
River, and the mountain is part of the Hudson Highlands. The rising
sun behind the mountain could be an emblem from the badge of the Dukes
of York who were given control of New York in 1664. It could also
have come from the coat of arms of Jonas Bronck, who was a Dutch settler
who owned farmland in an area of New York that is now known as the
Bronx. A globe rests on top of the shield, and there is an eagle perched
on the globe. The bald eagle represents America, and the globe shows
the New World. There is a woman standing on each side of the shield.
The woman on the right represents Justice. The blindfold that Justice
wears and the scales that she holds represent equal treatment to all
under the law. On the left is a figure representing the goddess of
Liberty. She is holding a staff with a Phrygian cap on it. The Phrygians
were an ancient group of people who gave these caps to their slaves
when they freed them. The cap is a symbol of our freedom as Americans.
The crown at Liberty's feet represents the freedom from England won
during the Revolutionary War. After the
war, New York was no longer ruled by the King of England. The state
motto, "Excelsior" is written on a
white ribbon under Liberty and Justice's feet. This word means that
New York is reaching upward for higher goals. This flag was adopted
in 1901.
Top Of Page
|
|
