California State Flower and State Bird

California Quail ~ Lophortyx californicus
Common in the chaparral slopes and valleys of the Pacific coastal mountains, the wily Quail scouts insure the safety of the brood by screeching at the approach of a hunter. Refusing to flush, the birds scuttle away or hide in trees until the hunter leaves. Besides being an excellent game bird, the California Quail brings its color and personality to gardens and city parks.

California Poppy ~ Eschscholtzia californica
Before civilization dotted the West with villages, homesteads, and orchards, California Poppies formed a blanket of gold which stretched from the foothills to the sea; and it is said that Spanish sailors, seeding the land glowing so brilliantly, named it the Land of Fire. When they later discovered that the brightness was the sunglow on red-gold-poppies, they called the flowers "cups of gold." California Poppies now scatter their gold generously in flower gardens the world over, but nowhere are they quite so lovely as in their native home.

From The Wildflowers of the 50 States U.S. stamps issued July 24, 1992:



California Wildflower - California Poppy

Art from the 50-stamp series, State Birds and Flowers,
issued April 14, 1982 simultaneously in all state capitals.