South Carolina Names Prothonotary Warbler as Official State Migratory Bird

From the Summer 2026 issue of Living Bird magazine. Subscribe now.

In April South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed the Prothonotary Warbler Recognition Act, which named that warbler as the official state migratory bird.

The Carolina Wren is already the state bird of South Carolina, but this legislation—which passed unanimously with bipartisan backing in both chambers of the state General Assembly—added another avian icon for the Palmetto State to highlight its habitat for migratory birds.

“This designation is about awareness and education, because the more people understand these birds and the habitats they depend on, the more likely we are to protect them for the long term,” said Rebecca Haynes, executive director for Audubon South Carolina. 

The bill-signing ceremony was held at the Francis Beidler Forest Audubon Center and Sanctuary, which is about 50 miles northwest of Charleston—and home to the largest remaining old-growth cypress-tupelo swamp in the world. According to Audubon South Carolina, the Beidler Forest Sanctuary is critical habitat for Prothonotary Warblers.

“South Carolina is uniquely blessed with beautiful natural resources, and we have a responsibility to protect them,” Gov. McMaster said at the ceremony. “Naming the Prothonotary Warbler as our state migratory bird represents the importance of preserving our wetlands and ensuring future generations can experience places like Beidler Forest.”

In May, Beidler Forest was formally inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network, a national recognition of protected, old-growth, native forests with exceptional biodiversity.