TRANSCRIPT:
Hello this is Dr. Tom Mullikin with SCDNR for Into the Wild.
A flash of golden yellow moves through the shade of a South Carolina swamp. It pauses beside a dark opening in a tree, then disappears inside. That small bird is a prothonotary warbler, and in 2026, South Carolina named it our official state migratory bird.
The designation became law on February 27. But this bird's connection to our state goes back much further. Each spring, prothonotary warblers return from wintering grounds in Central and South America to raise their young in forested wetlands. Tree cavities provide nesting places, and the surrounding swamp supplies insects for food.
Places like Francis Beidler Forest help make that journey possible. Protecting these wetlands preserves a home for a bird whose life crosses borders and connects distant forests. The next time you walk beside a quiet swamp, watch for that little burst of yellow. South Carolina's newest bird symbol may be just ahead, carrying on a journey much bigger than itself.