Maryland on Stamps…
Maryland’s State Bird & Flower
Richard D. L. Fulton
The United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a 20-cent stamp, featuring the Maryland state bird; the Baltimore Oriole; and the Maryland state flower, the Black-Eyed Susan, on April 14, 1982.
The stamp was one of 50 stamps issued featuring state birds and flowers. The 1982 Maryland stamp was an improvement over an August 6, 2009, stamp commemorating state flags, which (inadvertently?) depicted a red-winged blackbird next to the Maryland flag (See “Maryland on Stamps: The State Flag: 1976/2009” in the December 2024 issue of the The Catoctin Banner).
One could be somewhat forgiving regarding the depiction of the red-winged blackbird next to the Maryland flag in 2009, rather than the Baltimore Oriole. The Baltimore Oriole is actually a species of blackbird (Biologically, the Baltimore Oriole and the red-wing blackbird are members of the same family – the Icteridae). At least the USPS had the right “blackbird” depicted in 1982.
The Baltimore Oriole
The Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula, was first described/published by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 under the name, Coracias galbula. The name was subsequently changed to Icterus galbula.
The adult oriole ranges from 7 to 8 1/2 inches in length and has a wingspan ranging from 9 to 12 inches. The male oriole’s colors are black and golden-orange, while the female oriole’s feathers are brownish-olive and dull orange.
The Baltimore Oriole was designated as the state bird by an act of the Maryland General Assembly in 1947.
Contrary to popular belief, the bird is not endemic to Maryland but was named as the state bird since the colors of the male oriole—black and golden-orange—corresponded to the colors of the crest of the Calvert family, whose members were the founders and hereditary proprietors of Maryland.
The range of the Baltimore Oriole includes central Canada, central United States, and in eastern United States from Maine to Louisiana (excluding much of the southeast), according to abcbirds.org.
The oriole spends its winters in the eastern Carolinas, Georgia and Florida, the Caribbean, and central and northern South America.
Because the Baltimore Oriole is a migratory bird, the species is protected by federal law through the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and by Maryland’s Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1975.
The orioles thrive in woodland environments, which can include open and riparian woodlands, areas with scattered trees, orchards, and shade tree groves, according to explorer.natureserve.org.
Once a pair of orioles have selected their mates, they begin building their sack-like nest. Females lay from three to seven eggs, which are incubated by the female, although both parents will feed the young, according to abcbirds.org.
Abcbirds.org also notes that the Baltimore Oriole feeds on a diet of insects, arachnids, and mulberries and black cherries, and, if left in bird feeders, they will consume oranges, jam, and nectar.
The Black-Eyed Susan
The Black-Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta, was first described/published by Linnaeus in 1753, when Linnaeus chose the generic name Rudbeckia to honor Olav Rudbeck and his son, professors at the University of Uppsala.
Two sources are often given for the name Black-Eyed Susan, one claiming the name was derived from the dark center of the flower, and another source stating the flower takes its name from a British poem written by John Gay in 1720, entitled Black Eyed Susan.
The flower has been designated as the state flower since 1918 when it was designated “Floral Emblem” of Maryland by the Maryland General Assembly.
The Black-Eyed Susans are members of the sunflower family, and are commonly seen along roadcuts, in median strips, and in fields, where they come into bloom from May through August. The native (wild) plants grow from two to three feet in height, with blooms generally two to three inches across, according to maryland.gov.
The Black-Eyed Susan is native to the Central United States but can be found growing wild now from coast to coast.
First Day of Issue cover featuring the Baltimore Oriole and Black-Eyed Susan.
