INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s official state bird is the northern cardinal, according to IN.gov. The Hoosier State isn’t, however, the only state that claims ownership of the red-feathered bird.

This bird spotted in southern Indiana last week is extremely rare. ... The cardinal pictured above — spotted at a feeder in Charlestown, Ind. — is the spitting image of leucism.

The last state to pick its bird was Arizona in 1973. So, grab your bird-watching binoculars and get to know the 50 official state birds in the U.S., from Alabama to Wyoming (and Washington, D.C., too) ...

Indiana’s most-sighted birds in April House sparrow, Passer domesticus - This nonnative songbird originates from Eurasia and northern Africa and was first released in the U.S> in 1841.

HIGHLAND — Just as the cardinal bird represents the state of Indiana, the upcoming Cardinal Campus represents new growth in the town of Highland.

Volunteers around the state will count birds until Jan. 5. The Christmas Bird Count is annual event to collect data on birds, and that information can also tell us about the climate.

The cardinal became the state bird in Ohio and Indiana in the same year — 1933. Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia and Virginia followed suit in 1942, 1943, 1949 and 1950, respectively.