The Brown Pelican....

Is the new official seabird of South Carolina!

Here's the news as it was announced by the SC General Assembly in Bill H. 5246

AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 1-1-612 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE BROWN PELICAN IS THE OFFICIAL SEABIRD OF THE STATE.

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:

Official seabird

SECTION 1. Article 9, Chapter 1, Title 1 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

Section 1-1-612. The eastern brown pelican is the official seabird of the State.

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 15th day of May, 2024.