# Birds that live in one state **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457 "2017-04-28T21:43:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/1 "2017-04-28T21:43:58Z")
Inspired by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=824860), particularly **Tamerlane** ’s post #90. How many states have a bird species that lives in that state (US, but I don’t mind other country answers) and has no wild population in other states? There are probably many examples of mammals that live in one place, or a stream that is the only habitat for one fish species, but birds are a bit more mobile. Examples: [Florida scrub jay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_scrub_jay), mentioned in the above thread California [Island scrub jay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_scrub_jay), any examples that live on the mainland? Nevada [Himalayan Snowcock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayan_snowcock), though native to Asia as the name suggests, it doesn’t live elsewhere in the US. Hawaii naturally has [plenty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endemic_birds_of_Hawaii). I assume there are some that live in Canada and Alaska, but no other US state. Colorado [Gunnison grouse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunnison_grouse), close but no cigar, tiny part of Utah ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/2 "2017-04-28T22:48:54Z")
For decades, the summer range of Kirtland’s warbler was limited to a part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. In recent years a few have been breeding in parts of Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula, and Ontario. They winter in the Bahamas so naturally the pass through other states during migration. ---
**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/3 "2017-04-28T23:03:28Z")
California has [lots of wild parrots](http://www.californiaflocks.org/flock-information/), and I believe that many (most?) of the species are found only in that state. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/4 "2017-04-28T23:15:13Z")
> [@Pasta](#): > > California has [lots of wild parrots](http://www.californiaflocks.org/flock-information/), and I believe that many (most?) of the species are found only in that state. I’ve seen wild parrots in New Orleans, on Esplanade. ---
**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/5 "2017-04-28T23:38:24Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I’ve seen wild parrots in New Orleans, on Esplanade. Yeah, they definitely exist elsewhere, but given the high number of species in California, I expect many to be unique to there. With some limited poking around the web, this indeed seems to be the case. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/6 "2017-04-28T23:57:50Z")
The yellow-billed magpie is only in California. The rest of your magpies have black bills. ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/7 "2017-04-29T00:24:16Z")
I immediately thought of the [chachalaca](http://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/land/habitats/southtx_plain/upland_birds/chachalaca.phtml), and though it is found in Mexico and Central America, the only U.S state it calls home is Texas. [Here](http://southtexasnature.org/birding/specialty-birds/) is a list of birds that also supposedly fit that description, but after checking a few some also range into other border states or Florida. Surely there are some on the northern border that are found in only Washington or Maine, or some other single state in between, and range more widely into Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/8 "2017-04-29T01:18:27Z")
I imagine that the ivory-billed woodpecker is only found in one state, unless it flies extremely fast. The California condor isn’t quite as safe a bet, but still pretty safe. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/9 "2017-04-29T01:30:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I imagine that the ivory-billed woodpecker is only found in one state, unless it flies extremely fast. The California condor isn’t quite as safe a bet, but still pretty safe. According to [California Condor](https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Birds/California-Condor), California condors currently live in the wild in northern Arizona and into Utah. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/10 "2017-04-29T04:26:12Z")
> [@Pasta](#): > > California has [lots of wild parrots](http://www.californiaflocks.org/flock-information/), and I believe that many (most?) of the species are found only in that state. I’m not surprised they can live there but I had no idea it happens. I just think it would really be cool to see parrots flying around. We did have monkeys that got loose from an experiment and lived in the woods near Cleveland until the winter, but I’m not supposed to talk about it. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/11 "2017-04-29T11:14:20Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > I’m not surprised they can live there but I had no idea it happens. I just think it would really be cool to see parrots flying around. Go right out and watch the documentary _The Wile Parrots of Telegraph Hill_. You’ll love it. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/12 "2017-04-29T11:39:05Z")
The Thick-Billed Parrot used to live in Arizona, Utah and possibly Texas. It was locally extinct and restricted to an area of Mexico. It has been [re-introduced](http://www.terrain.org/articles/21/skroch.htm) into the [Madrean Sky Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrean_Sky_Islands) in Arizona. This parrot and the extinct [Carolina Parakeet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_parakeet) were the only native parrots of the US. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/13 "2017-04-29T14:13:35Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > I’m not surprised they can live there but I had no idea it happens. I just think it would really be cool to see parrots flying around. > > We did have monkeys that got loose from an experiment and lived in the woods near Cleveland until the winter, but I’m not supposed to talk about it. > > Dennis We have many flocks of wild (or feral) parrots here. They’re noisy & gregarious. But it always brings a smile to hear or see them. There’s something madcap about their antics; like a Three Stooges skit. Those wouldn’t be the supermonkeys with IQs in the high 90s who’re self-selecting now for increased intelligence as they bide their time in the forests and await the chance to eat all our faces? Or are those the ones carrying Ebola VII that is safe for monkeys but utterly fatal to humans? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/14 "2017-04-29T14:37:59Z")
The Willow Ptarmigan is only found in Alaska, among the US states anyway, it will be found in Canada as well. The Nene is the state bird of Hawaii and found no where else. ETA: Hawaiin birds already mentioned in the OP ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/15 "2017-04-29T15:36:40Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Those wouldn’t be the supermonkeys with IQs in the high 90s who’re self-selecting now for increased intelligence as they bide their time in the forests and await the chance to eat all our faces? Or are those the ones carrying Ebola VII that is safe for monkeys but utterly fatal to humans? 😃 They were being tested in high energy magnetic fields to see if any organ damage occurred. Then dissected. This was back in the sixties in support of the space program. The Navy was running the program out of the Pensacola Naval Air Station. We had the largest magnetic fields on the planet at the time for a Tokomat project. Cooled by liquid Krypton (we had the world’s largest single source of it also). They were disposing of the bodies and a racoon opened up one of the bags in the dumpster and a cleaning lady found it and thought it was a human baby. She went ballistic. The brass calmed her down (probably paid her off) and decided the program should be terminated. In their haste to vacate the premises a few monkeys got loose, and we were right next to the Metro Parks. You didn’t hear this from me. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/16 "2017-04-29T16:52:47Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > They were being tested in high energy magnetic fields to see if any organ damage occurred. Then dissected. This was back in the sixties in support of the space program. The Navy was running the program out of the Pensacola Naval Air Station. We had the largest magnetic fields on the planet at the time for a Tokomat project. Cooled by liquid Krypton (we had the world’s largest single source of it also). > > They were disposing of the bodies and a racoon opened up one of the bags in the dumpster and a cleaning lady found it and thought it was a human baby. She went ballistic. The brass calmed her down (probably paid her off) and decided the program should be terminated. In their haste to vacate the premises a few monkeys got loose, and we were right next to the Metro Parks. You didn’t hear this from me. > > Dennis Magnetically enhanced monkeys. The worst kind. I spent time with the military down in Central & South America. The Army ran a jungle ops & survival course for their soldiers based in Panama. Part of the “fun” was shooting, cooking, & eating a local monkey. Once mounted on a makeshift spit they looked just about like a newborn baby. Ahh, yes; a stroll down memory lane. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/17 "2017-04-29T19:24:24Z")
The ivory-billed woodpecker is now probably extinct. I don’t know what Chronos means that it is found only in one state. As recently as the 1950s, it was seen in SC. Recently, some think they have discovered this species in La. That has not been established by convincing evidence. Most ornithologists have concluded that the very poor quality picture is of a leucine pileated woodpecker, which can make sounds similar to the ivory-billed. The green parakeet is found only in Mexico and Texas. There are several species of parakeets found only in Texas and California. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/18 "2017-04-30T18:05:36Z")
How about the [island scrub jay](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_scrub_jay), which is found only on Santa Cruz Island in California? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/19 "2017-05-01T13:10:44Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Magnetically enhanced monkeys. The worst kind. They were turned to steel in a great magnetic field when they traveled time for the future of mankind. To add to this thread, the San Clemente Island Loggerhead Shrike only lives on that California island. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457/20 "2017-05-01T14:44:33Z")
How about if Texas birds bleed over into Oklahoma? We have the painted bunting, and the scissor-tailed flycatcher, whose range goes up into OK I think. We also have the black-crested morph of the tufted titmouse, which I’ve seen listed as a separate bird in some places. Also I think there are some birds that are predominantly in Mexico but their range goes up into Texas - would those count? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/birds-that-live-in-one-state/785457.md?page=2)