FORT WORTH – The City of Fort Worth officially chose a bird to represent the city on Tuesday.
The Eastern Bluebird was chosen to represent the city, beating out several other birds, according to a press release from Fort Worth ISD.
The choice was the culmination of a collaboration between the city and elementary students from Fort Worth ISD, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Participating FWISD campuses were assigned one of six bird options — Barred Owl, Carolina Chickadee, Great Egret, Eastern Bluebird, Red-Shouldered Hawk, and Red-Bellied Woodpecker — approved by the Fort Worth Audubon Society, according to the district. Students conducted research and created presentations to advocate for their assigned bird. A total of 18 schools participated.
Some students created videos in support of the bird that they were assigned. Selected presentations moved on to the district’s annual science fair, where community members could learn about the top birds and vote on which should represent the city.
Westcliff Elementary School represented the Eastern Bluebird.
An official proclamation was presented in a Fort Worth City Council meeting on May 14. The proclamation took note of the work and presentation created by Westcliff students.
In the video, students pointed out that the bird’s blue, red, and white colors match the Texas flag, making it easy to spot. The bird also likes to hang out in North Texas year-round, hatching two to seven eggs on average.
The bird benefits crops by protecting them from invasive insects, keeping food safe, and eating mosquitoes. It does not eat small animals and is known as a symbol of peace and joy. It is also friendly and sings songs.
Council Member Elizabeth Beck of District 9 presented the proclamation commending the students for their hard work.
“You had not just your fifth-grader students talking about this. You had middle schoolers, high schoolers, council member debates, newspaper articles, and you really got the whole community involved in this,” she said.
“Fort Worth, located among a major fly away, makes it a vital stopover for migratory birds. Not only do birds rely on the critical habitat found throughout Fort Worth, but the many ecosystem services. Birds are essential to human welfare from pollination to pest control to clean up and seed dispersal,” part of the proclamation read.
The students featured in the Westcliff video were then presented with certificates from Beck before taking a photo with the entire city council.