Nebraska state symbols
Nebraska’s state bird is the western meadowlark (1929), its flower the goldenrod (1895), its tree the cottonwood (1972), and its motto “Equality Before the Law” (1867).
How to read it
The Nebraska Revised Statutes declare “The western meadowlark is hereby declared the state bird of Nebraska” (§ 90-107, Laws 1929) and “The cottonwood is hereby declared the state tree of Nebraska” (§ 90-113, Laws 1972). The Secretary of State gives the scientific names, Sturnella neglecta for the meadowlark and Populus deltoides for the cottonwood. The goldenrod (Solidago serotina) is not in the statutes: it was declared the state flower by legislative action in 1895, signed by Governor Silas A. Holcomb on April 4, History Nebraska says. The motto is part of the great seal created by the act approved on June 15, 1867, which puts “EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW” in capitals around the top. The state is known as the Cornhusker State, by a law of 1945, and its song is “Beautiful Nebraska” (1967).
Also searched as: nebraska state bird, nebraska state flower, nebraska state motto, nebraska state symbols, nebraska state tree, official symbols of nebraska.
The goldenrod and the violet
History Nebraska says that if one legislator had had his way in 1895, the violet would have become the state flower instead of the goldenrod. The violet is the state flower of New Jersey, Rhode Island and, as the wood violet, Wisconsin.
States with the same bird
The western meadowlark is also the state bird of North Dakota, Oregon and Wyoming.
Read next
- Next in US state symbolsNevada state symbolsNevada’s state bird is the mountain bluebird (1967), its flower the sagebrush (1959), its trees the single-leaf piñon (1953) and the bristlecone pine (1987), and its motto “All for Our Country” (1866).
- The same shape in Currency symbolsEuro sign (€)The euro sign (€) stands for the euro, the single currency of the member countries of the European Economic and Monetary Union. It is based on the Greek letter epsilon, crossed by two parallel lines for stability.
More US state symbols
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols drawn with lines.
Sources
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 90-107, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 90-107, Nebraska Legislature, § 90-107, State bird; western meadowlark; Source note
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 90-113, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 90-113, Nebraska Legislature, § 90-113, State tree; cottonwood; Source note
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 84-501, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-501, Nebraska Legislature, § 84-501, Secretary of State; Great Seal; custodian; Note quoting the act of 1867
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 90-101, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 90-101, Nebraska Legislature, § 90-101, State name; Source note
- Nebraska Revised Statutes § 90-111, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 90-111, Nebraska Legislature, § 90-111, State song; Beautiful Nebraska; Source note
- State Symbols (Nebraska Secretary of State), Nebraska Secretary of State, "State Symbols", Nebraska Secretary of State, State Seal; State Song; State Bird; State Flower; State Tree
- Nebraska's Gold: The Goldenrod (History Nebraska), History Nebraska, "Nebraska's Gold: The Goldenrod", History Nebraska (Nebraska State Historical Society), Article text
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed October 9, 2026. How we research
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