State lawmakers are pushing to declare University of Connecticut basketball legend Sue Bird the state bird. At least part time.
“I think it's a great honor,” said House Speaker Matt Ritter. “When this bill is adopted, if the governor signs it, in the month of March, we will have two state birds: The robin, and Sue Bird.”
Bird won two championships at UConn, four WNBA championships, and five Olympic gold medals in basketball.
One month per year, during NCAA March Madness tournaments, the title of state bird would be shared between Bird and an actual bird, the American robin, Turdus migratorius.
The provision honoring Sue Bird was added to a larger piece of legislation in the final days of the session.
[It passed the Senate and is before the House on Wednesday.]
The American robin, often seen pulling earthworms out of the ground. has been the state bird of Connecticut since 1943, although not without some tongue-in-cheek controversy.
The measure comes as Connecticut is set to lose its WNBA basketball team, The Connecticut Sun, and after UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams made it to the final four in the 2026 NCAA tournaments.
Here is the relevant part of the text of the bill:Sec. 48. Section 3-109 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026):
The American robin, Turdus migratorius, shall be the state bird, provided in the month of March of each year, the American robin and Suzanne Brigit Bird, also known as Sue Bird, shall be the state birds.
