North Dakota does not have four formally designated state animals in the official material reviewed. It has three animal-related designations: the western meadowlark as state bird, the northern pike as state fish, and the Nokota horse as honorary equine. A bison appears on the Great Seal, and the Richardson ground squirrel supplies the nickname “Flickertail,” but neither is established there as a fourth official state animal.
What North Dakota officially recognizes
North Dakota’s state-symbol information separates animal designations by category rather than naming one all-purpose “state animal.” The categories supported by North Dakota educational material are bird, fish and honorary equine. The State Historical Society material that lists these designations is dated Fall 2010, so it should not be treated as a complete, up-to-the-minute statutory inventory; however, it clearly identifies the three animal-related honors described below.
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| Official category | Animal | Designation year | Useful identifying or historical detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| State bird | Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) | 1947 | Yellow belly, black V on the chest, and a flute-like song associated with open grassland |
| State fish | Northern pike | 1969 | Long, pointed head and spiny fins; a historical state catch weighed 37 pounds 8 ounces |
| Honorary equine | Nokota horse | 1993 | A breed associated by tradition with horses of Sitting Bull; some horses remain free-ranging in Theodore Roosevelt National Park |
That is why the phrase “four official state animals” needs qualification. The reviewed official sources support three formal animal-related designations, not four. They do not establish the bison or the Flickertail squirrel as an additional state-animal designation.
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Western meadowlark: North Dakota’s state bird
The western meadowlark is the state bird. North Dakota Game and Fish identifies it scientifically as Sturnella neglecta and describes a medium-sized songbird with a bright yellow underside and a distinctive black V across its chest. Those markings make the bird recognizable even when it is partly hidden in grass.
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When and where to see it
In North Dakota, western meadowlarks occur primarily from March through early November. Their peak breeding period runs from mid-April to late July. Look for them in native prairie, pasture, hayfields and other open grassland rather than dense woodland. A bird may sing from a fence post or low shrub before dropping into the vegetation to forage.
Conservation context
The North Dakota Game and Fish western meadowlark page reports a 42 percent population decline since 1970. The page identifies grassland loss among the threats and does not state the year or original study behind that statistic in the material reviewed. Treat the figure as the department’s reported trend, not as a newly measured statewide count.
For observers, the practical lesson is to protect the habitat the bird uses: keep dogs on established paths during nesting season, avoid flushing birds repeatedly, and leave ground cover undisturbed. Meadowlarks feed and nest close to the ground, so seemingly minor disturbance can matter during breeding.
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Northern pike: North Dakota’s state fish
The northern pike is North Dakota’s state fish. It is a long-bodied predator with a pointed head and spiny fins. North Dakota Studies says an individual can reach about four feet in length, although size varies with habitat, food supply and age.
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The historical state catch
North Dakota Studies records a northern pike weighing 37 pounds 8 ounces, caught in Lake Sakakawea in 1968. The figure is a historical North Dakota catch record reported by that 2010 educational source; it is not a current annual record, a guaranteed size for the species, or evidence that every large pike comes from Lake Sakakawea.
Recognizing a pike responsibly
Anglers should use the entire profile rather than relying on one feature: the elongated snout, duck-bill appearance, sharp teeth, mottled body and dorsal and anal fins set far back toward the tail. Follow current North Dakota fishing regulations for seasons, size limits, possession limits and lawful tackle. Those rules can change independently of the fish’s status as a state symbol.
Nokota horse: the honorary equine
North Dakota designated the Nokota horse as its honorary equine. The designation recognizes a horse associated with the state’s history and landscape rather than creating a general legal category called “state horse.”
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Origins and the Sitting Bull connection
North Dakota Studies reports that Nokota horses are believed to descend from horses associated with Sitting Bull. “Believed to descend” is important wording: it presents a reported historical belief, not a conclusively documented genetic lineage for every horse identified as Nokota.
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An organization was established to preserve the breed. Some Nokota horses still run wild in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where visitors may see them at a distance in a rugged prairie setting. Free-ranging does not mean unmanaged or available for capture. Park rules, safe distances and wildlife-protection requirements apply.
How to view the horses
- Use designated roads, trails and overlooks in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
- Never approach, feed, chase or attempt to touch a free-ranging horse.
- Keep children and pets close; horses can move suddenly and are stronger than they appear.
- Use binoculars or a long lens instead of closing the distance for a photograph.
Why the bison is not a confirmed fourth state animal
The Great Seal of North Dakota shows an American Indian pursuing a bison toward the setting sun. That makes the bison an important visual element of state symbolism, but a depiction on a seal is not, by itself, a legislative designation as a state animal.
The Secretary of State states that the Great Seal is protected by state law and cannot be reproduced or modified for commercial applications without permission. Treat the seal as a protected state emblem, not as proof that North Dakota adopted a fourth animal category.
About North Dakota’s bison
North Dakota Game and Fish identifies the species as Bison bison. It describes bison as grassland and meadow animals and says current small herds occur in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Cross Ranch Nature Preserve and some other public and private lands. The department also describes bison as North America’s largest native land mammal.
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North Dakota Game and Fish says bison are considered livestock in North Dakota. That classification is a management and legal detail; it does not change the separate question of whether the legislature designated bison as a state animal. The official material reviewed does not make that designation.
“Flickertail” is a nickname, not a fourth designation
“Flickertail” refers to Richardson ground squirrels. North Dakota’s government explains that the squirrels flick their tails while running or just before entering a burrow. The nickname is widely associated with the state, but it should not be confused with an official state-animal title.
The same government account records that the 1953 Legislative Assembly defeated a bill that would have adopted a Flickertail facsimile as the state emblem. Because that proposal failed, the Richardson ground squirrel cannot be presented as a formally adopted fourth animal symbol on the basis of the nickname alone.
How to interpret lists that claim four animals
A list showing four “state animals” may be combining different kinds of symbolism: the three formal animal-related categories, plus the bison on the Great Seal, or it may be counting the Flickertail nickname. Those are understandable associations, but they are not equivalent legal designations.
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- Check whether the list names an official category such as state bird, state fish or honorary equine.
- Look for a designation year or a legislative or state-government source.
- Separate animals shown in a seal or emblem from animals explicitly adopted as symbols.
- Label nicknames as nicknames unless a primary source says the underlying animal was formally adopted.
Using that test, North Dakota has three supported animal-related designations. The bison and Richardson ground squirrel belong in explanatory context sections, not in a table of four official state animals.
Quick identification guide for readers and visitors
| Animal | Where or when it is most likely encountered | Best clue | What the status means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western meadowlark | Open grassland, mainly March to early November | Yellow belly with a black chest V; songbird | Official state bird |
| Northern pike | North Dakota lakes and rivers where the species is present | Pointed head, elongated body and spiny fins | Official state fish |
| Nokota horse | Free-ranging groups associated with Theodore Roosevelt National Park | Horse breed with a reported historical connection to Sitting Bull’s horses | Honorary equine |
| American bison | Prairie and meadow habitats, including several managed herds | Large hump-shouldered native mammal | Shown on the Great Seal; not confirmed as a state-animal designation |
| Richardson ground squirrel | Burrows and open areas; associated with the state nickname | Tail flicking while running or before entering a burrow | Source of “Flickertail”; proposed emblem defeated in 1953 |
Where to verify the current symbol list
The North Dakota Secretary of State’s newest listed reference is the 2025–2027 North Dakota Blue Book, identified as the 36th edition. The state says the book includes state symbols and provides an online viewing option, along with a purchase path through the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum store.
The Blue Book is useful when you need the state’s current reference publication, while the State Historical Society’s Fall 2010 educational material supplies the designation dates used in the comparison above. Species descriptions and population information come from North Dakota Game and Fish, and the Flickertail history comes from North Dakota’s government information. Because symbol inventories and regulations can be updated, consult the newest state publication when a legal or classroom citation must be current.
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The accurate answer is three formal animal-related designations: western meadowlark, northern pike and Nokota horse. The bison is prominent in the Great Seal, and the Richardson ground squirrel is the Flickertail, but the official sources reviewed do not establish either one as a fourth state animal. Describing all five animals together is useful only when their different roles—designation, seal imagery and nickname—are clearly labeled.
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