Frazz by Jef Mallett for March 27, 2025

I think the Pileated woodpecker should be the Mi. State bird. They stay here all year.

Same here in Washington state!

Not true. A confirmed sighting of a Wolverine happened about 20 years ago here up near Bad Axe/Ubly. Since they’re such an elusive animal, there’s no reason to think there aren’t more still living here.

I was today years old when I learned “The Wolverine State” was a thing.

I was today years old, plus five minutes, when I learned “No one actually calls Michigan that.”

But at least they did once live in Michigan. A long time ago, but still…

Perhaps ‘The Avian State’? No end to the merchandise catalog.

we have badgers here!

Gulo Gulo has been seen in rare trail cam recordings in “The Mitten State” (where the real state bird is the mosquito)

Scotland’s national animal is the unicorn. I doubt they have any unicorns in their country.

Wolverines were once present in Michigan, but their numbers dwindled significantly due to habitat loss, trapping, and other factors

Wolverines have been spotted in the mitten in the last two years. And there is a 40, 000 size pack of them in Ann Arbor!!! GO BLUE

So they’re in WI, because the three states with the Robin as state bird are WI, MI and CT. It’s not MI since they are referring to it here as someplace else, and the fact they are talking about MI tells me they’re in a bit of a regional rivalry with that state. Or my powers of inference are off…

Did we already know this comic is in WI?

As I recall, there was a wolverine living in the thumb a few years back. Maybe escaped from somewhere.

I live in Massachusetts, we share the black-capped chickadee with Maine.

Wikipedia says:

“As the story goes, Native Americans and Ohioans in the 1830s perceived Michiganians to be ruthless, much like the large weasels. The moniker stuck because, until recently, the state was home to at least one wild wolverine.”

Starting in 2004, wolverines were spotted the UP and the Thumb

Frazz has a point at the end. The late great Dudley Moore was even in a movie about that subject.

Lug Nuts.

Like California grizzlies?

Pennsylvania’s state bird is the ruffled grouse. It’s also a game bird so this may be the only state where you can kill and eat the state bird. No wonder it’s a red state.

Basing reality on marketing is how we got the current president and legislature.

No US state has the quokka as its state animal, since they’re native to Australia (and even there mainly on Rottnest Island), but if actual indigeneity is not a concern (as appears to be the case in Michigan), then some state legislature should snap up these cute little guys:

bondiwash.CH/blogs/news/meet-australias-happiest-animal

We have the Cactus Wren here but Gambel’s quail are all over the place, can’t miss them because of their distinct call.