A tongue-in-cheek movement to replace Georgia's state bird with the chicken is gaining attention, according to the Savannah Morning News. Chris Cunningham, an Augusta-based restaurateur, launched the Flip the Birds campaign to raise awareness of the chicken's economic importance to the state. Georgia produces 1.4 billion chickens annually, more than any other state, and the poultry industry has a greater than $18 billion impact on the state each year.According to Cunningham, the brown thrasher - Georgia's official state bird since 1970 - is not nearly so vital. The Georgia Conservancy disagrees, however, and points out that the brown thrasher is found in every Georgia county and has many redeeming qualities, including an amazing repertoire of more than 3,000 bird sounds. No other state claims the brown thrasher as its official symbol.
Both parties are enjoying the debate over the state bird, and regardless of the outcome, both the chicken and the brown thrasher are welcome in Georgia.
Brown Thrasher
Photo © Christopher Drake
Comments
I like the Brown Thrasher as a wild bird. Why do they not create a farm bird/animal and make it the chicken?
And while they are at changing the bird, why do they not change the fruit also. For the state fruit being the peach, I have not seen a peach tree anywhere, for all the trees we have.