Following weeks of research, data analysis, and community outreach, Fort Worth now has an official bird to call its own. The Eastern Bluebird beat out five other avian candidates to emerge triumphant as a representation of the values of our city.
This decision, which will be voted on by the Fort Worth City Council, came about as a result of the city’s collab with the Fort Worth Independent School District. For the past few months, students from 18 Fort Worth-based schools were tasked with doing research and creating presentations about why they thought specific birds would fit the city’s vision. These students made arguments and presented fun facts about each species to sway online voters in their direction.
The five other birds in the running for this honor were the barred owl, Carolina chickadee, great egret, red-shouldered hawk and red-bellied woodpecker. After tallying the online votes, the Eastern Bluebird came out triumphant and will be made official by the city council on May 14.
According to a press release, the Eastern Bluebird resonated with online voters given it symbolizes qualities of hope, happiness, peace, and joy. All of these qualities were represented by a group of Westcliff Elementary students who put together a presentation about the Eastern Bluebird.
Mainly found on top of telephone poles or roosting on nest boxes, Eastern Bluebirds are known to drop to the ground after an insect with fluttering wings and a fairly slow approach, followed by a quick return to the perch. The bright-blue breeding plumage of the male Eastern Bluebird is easily observed on a wire or open perch, which makes this species a favorite of birders, according to Wiki.
“The Eastern Bluebird reflects the spirit of the city while also exhibiting traits of Texan resilience and friendliness,” a Fort Worth ISD release read.
Besides stepping up their bird knowledge, participating students also gained skills in biology, history, and civic responsibility, while conducting the research for their presentations.
“I’m excited thinking about how our students were able to participate in a truly unique opportunity to use their scientific thinking skills to make history in our community. The project allowed students to engage in research, data collection, constructing explanations, and argumentation, all very important parts of being a scientist,” Rocco Williams, K-12 Science curriculum coordinator, says. “The community was able to see how impactful engaging in a science project like this can be for our students and community.”
