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COLUMBIA, S.C. — ̽����ѡ South Carolina today celebrated the passage of South Carolina Senate Bill 383 — the "" — which designates the brilliant yellow, swamp-dwelling songbird as South Carolina’s official migratory bird. The legislation passed the South Carolina House unanimously, as it did in the Senate last year, and is now headed to Gov. Henry McMaster to be signed into law. 

“We are deeply grateful to lawmakers in both chambers for coming together in strong, bipartisan support of this bird and what it represents for South Carolina,” said Merrill McGregor, policy director at ̽����ѡ South Carolina. “The Prothonotary Warbler is a spectacular bird of our wetlands and swamps. This bill will help highlight the importance of protecting these habitats for birds and the communities that depend on them. It also shows that caring about birds and the places they need is something that all South Carolinians can get behind.” 

Sometimes referred to as the “swamp canary” or “swamp candle,” the lemon-yellow Prothonotary Warbler is a small songbird that nests in forested wetlands from the Upstate to the coast. It is the only eastern warbler that nests in cavities, raising its young in holes in cypress knees, hollow branches, and even birdhouses placed near the water’s edge. 

Approximately 50,000 Prothonotary Warblers nest in South Carolina each year, roughly three percent of the species’ global population. Research by ̽����ѡ South Carolina has shown that these birds complete an extraordinary 5,000-mile round-trip migration to Colombia and other parts of Central and South America, often returning to the very same nesting site year after year. 

“The Prothonotary Warbler depends on healthy swamps and river corridors,” said Rebecca Haynes, executive director of ̽����ѡ South Carolina. “By recognizing this species, lawmakers are elevating the importance of conserving wetlands that protect water quality, reduce flooding and support communities across South Carolina.”

̽����ѡ South Carolina thanks bill sponsors Sen. Tom Davis and Sen. Stephen Goldfinch and supporters Rep. Bill Hixon, and Rep. Cal Forrest for championing this legislation through the General Assembly.