South Carolina Birds: Pictures And Bird Identification Tips

picture of a Carolina Wren, the state bird of South Carolina, and part of the South Carolina birds series
Year after year, South Carolina birds tell tourists the same story. State territorial size often does not matter when it comes to bird diversity.

All tourists who take a quick look at the map see more than the major coastal tourist areas from Mrytle Beach, south to Charleston. The South Carolina map, in combination with the South Carolina birds checklist also shows a state comparatively small in territory but holding it’s own with close to four hundred and fifty different species.

Birds

Part of the diversity can be explained by its multiple ecosystems from the beaches on the east to the Blue Ridge Mountains on the western boundary. The mountains are covered in the traditional southern forest style of Pine-Oak and Hickory. Woodpeckers and songbirds thrive in the area.

In the neighborhoods between the coast and the mountains, the state’s residents host a multitude of birds in their back yards. None so loud and proud as the official state bird, the Carolina Wren. They are a common year round resident in most areas east of the Rocky mountains. The tan breast and white stripe across the eye help with identification.

picture of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher also shares space and trees with the Carolina Wren in many South Carolina back yards. With a common name gnatcatcher, the visual of a bird flitting about the trees of South Carolina neighborhoods helping clear the area of its pesky gnats comes to mind.

Along the with perching birds that visit the feeders and consume the insects in back yard across the state, South Carolina also has the pleasure of watching the annual spring songbird migration. Around thirty different warblers sing their tunes during South Carolina springs, adding an additional touch of birding cheer to the state.

Carolina Chickadee, chickadee pictures
Carolina Chickadee