Each state in America boasts its own culture, history, and natural beauty. To represent such diversity, people from these states have chosen their own set of symbols and customs. Specific flags, songs, mottos, flowers, and even fruits commemorate the uniqueness of individual states. Some of these symbols border on the bizarre: Texas, for example, has made the Dutch oven its official state cooking pot. Other symbols are more universal, like state birds.
Many people remember learning about their states' history back in elementary school. But can you still remember your state bird? How about your state flower? To test your state knowledge, Stacker compiled a list of symbols in Kentucky.
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1 / 14Clue: One will find this member of the sunfish family swimming in fast-moving water. Females lay as many as 47,000 eggs in gravel nests, which are then ferociously guarded by males for up to four weeks after hatching.
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2 / 14Answer: Kentucky spotted bass
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3 / 14This state mammal is one of the most familiar in the eastern U.S., living in woodlands but also suburbs and cities. Although named after their typical color, they may sometimes have black fur. Research has shown that they are amazingly good at remembering where they have buried nuts.
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4 / 14- State mammal: Gray squirrel
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5 / 14The official Kentucky state song was originally written in 1852 as an anti-slavery ballad. Over time, objectionable racial language was removed and the original narrative became muddled. Being that it's Kentucky, the state also has an official bluegrass song, which was written by Bill Monroe and officially adopted in 1988.
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6 / 14- Answer:
--- State song: "My Old Kentucky Home"
--- Bluegrass song: "Blue Moon of Kentucky"
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7 / 14Adults of this species are diurnal, meaning that they are active and flying during the late morning and early afternoon. They also exhibit geographic color polymorphism, in which they have different colors depending on what regions they occupy.
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8 / 14- State insect: Viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus)
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9 / 14Kentucky’s state tree is popular: not only is it the state tree of three U.S. states, it also grows in all Kentucky counties on rich, well-drained soils. The tree is known for its large, unusually shaped leaves which turn yellow in autumn, and its logs have been used for dugouts by Native Americans and for cabins by early European settlers.
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10 / 14Answer: Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
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11 / 14This mid-sized songbird is commonly referred to as the "redbird." It's easily the most popular choice on this list of state birds.
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12 / 14Answer: Northern cardinal
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13 / 14Replacing Kentucky bluegrass in 1926, which admittedly is not an actual flower, the succeeding state flower is a long and leggy yellow plant. Thriving in various soil conditions, this flower can be seen covering fields during the late summer and early fall season. One particular species of this flower can even grow up to 8 feet tall.
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