Maine lawmakers are being asked to decide which species of chickadee is the official state bird: the black-capped chickadee or the boreal chickadee, whose head is brown.
The Legislature’s 1927 designation of “the chickadee” as the state bird leaves room for interpretation, a birder who works at Maine Audubon Society pointed out last year. It turns out that of the seven species of chickadees that live in North America, two of them are in Maine.
Rep. Betty Austin, of Skowhegan, has asked Maine lawmakers to make up their minds.
Take our poll to weigh in on which chickadee you favor.
Just for fun, we’re throwing in two other photogenic options, the common loon and the Atlantic puffin, even though they aren’t candidates for Maine’s state bird.
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