South Carolina § 1-1-612 - Official State seabird.

§ 1-1-612. Official State seabird.

The eastern brown pelican is the official seabird of the State.

HISTORY: 2024 Act No. 186 (H.5246), SECTION 1, eff May 20, 2024.

Editor's Note

2024 Act No. 186, preamble, provides as follows:

"Whereas, the first known eastern brown pelican was described in 1789 and at the Charleston Harbor; and

"Whereas, the brown pelican is one of the largest birds found on the east coast and is known for its long bill and underlying throat pouch; and

"Whereas, eastern brown pelicans are the only pelicans in the world that are not entirely white. The front of a brown pelican's head is white, but its feathers fade to dark brown. During breeding season, the bird swaps white for a vibrant yellowish gold and exchanges dark brown for a silver-grey; and

"Whereas, in 1970, the eastern brown pelican was listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, when populations plummeted to less than one hundred; and

"Whereas, unlike most birds that warm their eggs with the skin of their breasts, pelicans incubate their eggs with the skin of their feet, standing on them and holding the eggs under the webbing of their feet. Widespread use of a pesticide known as DDT caused the chemical to leak into the food chain and caused the eastern brown pelican's eggs to have thinner shells, which caused them to break during incubation, leading to the populations decline; and

"Whereas, the United States' ban of DDT in 1972 and the Brown Pelican Recovery Plan of 1979 helped the brown pelican population recover, and the brown pelican is no longer considered endangered; and

"Whereas, designating the brown pelican as the state seabird of South Carolina will highlight the importance of preserving and enhancing the habitat of this species and other seabirds along our coastline and serve as a symbol of our commitment to environmental stewardship and wildlife conservation; and

"Whereas, eastern brown pelicans and other similar South Carolina coastal birds add to the unique and beautiful character of South Carolina, increasing quality of life. Now, therefore,

"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: [Text of Act]"