Sue Bird to share Connecticut state bird title each March

Sue Bird, a Basketball Hall of Famer and longtime WNBA star, is set to receive a state honor in Connecticut that would put her alongside the American robin as the state bird each March. The Connecticut legislature approved a bill designating the American robin and Sue Bird as state birds, with the measure headed to Gov. Ned Lamont for his signature.

Connecticut House Speaker Matt Ritter said the timing would matter because the legislation would produce “two state birds” in the month of March if it becomes law. Ritter made the comment to reporters ahead of any final action by the governor, according to the AP report.

The bill’s language would preserve the existing designation for the American robin (Turdus migratorius) and add Sue Bird as a co-state-bird honoree. It specifies that in the month of March of each year, both the American robin and “Suzanne Brigit Bird, also known as Sue Bird” would be the state birds.

The honor is designed to begin next year, rather than immediately. The AP report said the measure cleared final legislative approval on Wednesday and was expected to be signed by Lamont, who has promoted Connecticut as the basketball capital of the world in connection with UConn’s men’s and women’s programs.

The report described Bird’s background as the basis for the recognition, citing her four WNBA championships, five Olympic gold medals, and her career achievements with the Seattle Storm. It also noted that Bird was enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame last year and that she previously led UConn to national titles, including an undefeated season in 2002.

Messages to Bird and her representatives were not immediately returned Thursday, the AP report said. Bird announced the news through some of her social media accounts, and the Instagram account for her Bird’s Eye View podcast posted “What an honor,” along with a photo of her from her playing days at UConn.

The bill included a range of unrelated matters in a package that is more than 100 pages long, according to the AP report. By naming Bird alongside the American robin, lawmakers also tied the March designation to the legacy of basketball in Connecticut, with the governor expected to decide whether the bill becomes law.