The northern mockingbird could lose its nearly century-long perch as Texas’ state bird under legislation that would give the title to a songbird that nests nowhere else in the world.
State Rep. Shelley Luther (R-Tom Bean) proposed replacing the mockingbird with the golden-cheeked warbler in House Bill 309. The bill, filed on Monday, would amend the state bird designation in the Government Code and take effect September 1, 2027, if enacted.
Luther’s measure is one of several bills that lawmakers have filed ahead of the 2027 legislative session.
State Rep. Eddie Morales Jr. (D-Eagle Pass) filed House Bill 433 on Monday, likewise seeking to make the warbler the state bird. Morales said he supported the change after hearing from conservation advocates.
“I have nothing against the Mockingbird,” Morales told Chron. “I look forward to working with her on this,” he said of Luther.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission records the mockingbird’s designation under a resolution from the 40th Legislature in 1927. Luther’s and Morales’ proposals would replace that longstanding symbol in the year of its 100th anniversary.
The golden-cheeked warbler has a narrower connection to the state: It nests only in Central Texas. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department explains that the birds use strips of juniper bark and spider webs to build nests in woodlands with Ashe juniper and oak trees.
The birds arrive in March to raise their young and leave in July for wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America, according to the department. Their Texas range includes the Edwards Plateau and extends locally north to Palo Pinto County.
The department identifies the clearing of juniper and oak woodlands for development and agriculture as threats to the species. Both Texas and federal wildlife authorities list the warbler as endangered.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommended reclassifying the bird from endangered to threatened in its 2025 five-year review, citing research and conservation efforts that improved its understanding of the species. The agency says the recommendation did not change the bird’s legal status and identifies continuing habitat threats.
Both House Bill 309 and 433 address the state symbol designation. The text contains no changes to federal endangered species protections.
Provided by Dallas Express
