Which US States Have Birds on Their Flags?

Louisiana's connection to the pelican predates statehood by over a century. French colonial administrators embedded the pelican-in-her-piety in the region's heraldry during the 18th century. When Louisiana entered the Union in 1812 as the 18th state, the pelican came with it. The territorial seal adopted in 1804 already bore the image. Louisiana officially adopted its pelican in her piety flag in 1912, standardized in 2010. Its bird is unique, its heraldic pose is ancient, and its symbolism cuts deeper than simple patriotism.

The Illinois state flag places the state seal on a white background, with the bald eagle perched on a boulder at center — wings raised, clutching a shield bearing thirteen stars and stripes, and a ribbon in its beak reading State Sovereignty, National Union. The white field and prominent eagle make Illinois one of the most recognizable seal-flag designs in the country. The word 'ILLINOIS' was added in 1970 after a Vietnam War-era petition. See the full Illinois bald eagle flag history for the complete design story.

The Iowa state flag is a vertical tricolor of blue, white, and red — a nod to Iowa's French territorial heritage. On the white center stripe, a bald eagle soars with wings spread, carrying a blue ribbon in its beak with the state motto: Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain. Iowa is the only eagle-flag state where the bird flies freely on the flag rather than within a state seal or coat of arms. See the Iowa tricolor eagle flag for the full design history.

Michigan's flag displays the state coat of arms on a dark blue field, with the bald eagle as the crest at the apex — wings spread, holding an olive branch and a bundle of arrows that mirror the Great Seal. The central shield shows a man on a peninsula pointing toward the sunrise, flanked by an elk and a moose as shield-holders. Michigan is the only US state flag with three distinct animals: eagle, elk, and moose. See the Michigan state flag.

New York's flag centers the state coat of arms on a deep blue field. The bald eagle serves as the crest, perched atop a globe representing the Western Hemisphere with wings fully spread — one of the most architecturally elaborate eagle placements on any state flag. The coat of arms dates to 1778, making New York's eagle one of the oldest in continuous American state heraldry. Full design history on the New York state flag with eagle crest.

North Dakota's flag is the most eagle-dominated of all 50 states — the bald eagle fills the entire design, modeled directly on the regimental colors of the First North Dakota Infantry from the Spanish-American War. The eagle holds an olive branch and arrows, carries a shield of thirteen stripes, and grips a ribbon reading 'E Pluribus Unum' — an almost exact reproduction of the national emblem. The North Dakota Great Seal eagle flag is less a state seal flag and more a declaration of pure American patriotism.

Pennsylvania's flag displays the state coat of arms on a deep blue field, with the bald eagle as the crest at the very top — wings spread above two horses that serve as shield-holders. The coat of arms dates to 1778, and the flag was formally adopted in 1907. Pennsylvania's eagle crest reflects the same founding-era heraldic conventions that shaped the Great Seal just four years after the coat of arms was first designed. See the Pennsylvania state flag and coat of arms.

Utah's flag features the state seal at center on a blue field, with a bald eagle positioned above the state's iconic beehive — wings spread, representing federal protection over the state. The beehive below symbolizes Utah's pioneer spirit of industry and cooperation. The flag was adopted in 1913 and standardized in 2011. The eagle and beehive together capture the balance between national allegiance and local pioneer identity. Full history on the Utah Beehive State flag with eagle.

Oregon's flag is the only US state flag with two completely different designs on each side. The obverse side (front) shows the state seal on a navy blue background, with a bald eagle perched at the top of the shield — wings spread above a panorama of mountains, ocean, and a covered wagon. Turn the flag over and the eagle vanishes: the reverse side shows only a golden beaver. Oregon's eagle exists exclusively on the obverse side state seal, making it the most conditional bird on any US state flag. The full two-sided story is documented on the Oregon two-sided state flag.

American Samoa's flag features a bald eagle in flight across a red and blue background, holding a war club (uatogi) and a fly whisk (fue) — traditional Samoan objects — in its talons rather than the standard Great Seal arrows and olive branch. The substitution transforms the national emblem into a bicultural symbol, blending Polynesian tradition with American sovereignty. Adopted in 1960, it is one of the most culturally layered bird flags in the American system.

The US Virgin Islands flag shows a simplified US coat of arms eagle on a white background: a golden bald eagle holding a laurel branch and three arrows, flanked by the yellow letters 'V' and 'I'. Adopted in 1921 — just four years after the United States purchased the islands from Denmark — the eagle design is a deliberate statement of American territorial identity, rendered in the cleanest possible heraldic form.