Have you heard the word? Birdie is the word(ie.) Yes, a turtle named Birdie, long-time resident of the Visitor Center at Sky Meadows State Park, has recently moved into a new and improved habitat. After living at the park for close to 15 years, the yellow-bellied slider turtle has been here longer than any of the Rangers. He is a favorite attraction of visitors of all ages, many of whom return time and again just to observe and interact with him. After all this time, and thanks to a compassionate AmeriCorps member, Birdie has received the well-deserved gift of a larger tank.

Meet Birdie. Photo credit: Lisa Hinson

The Tale (Tail?) of Birdie

Birdie’s origin story is a little hard to pin down. As with most legends, we must rely on oral history as it has been passed down from long-time park volunteers and former staff members. I have even seen a few different iterations of his name. Is it Birdie, Bertie or Birdy? A former Ranger once told me it is an amalgamation of Bert and Ernie. Another former staff member reports that Birdie was named by Park Historian, Ranger Budd, who “thought he looked like a bird.”

Birdie being placed into his old tank, after a thorough tank cleaning by Ranger Charlie

The legend has it that Birdie came to us from another Virginia State Park Visitor Center (maybe First Landing State Park?) and possibly as part of a turtle swap. What is certain, is that his long tenure at Sky Meadows has awarded him turtle celebrity status. 

Birdie the turtle, basking in the light of his brand-new habitat.

AmeriCorps Member Sophie recognizes that Birdie needs help. 

Sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes to notice an area of potential improvement. Here in the park Visitor Center, Birdie had lived in his turtle tank habitat for so long that he had outgrown the space, without anyone realizing it. Thanks to the AmeriCorps program, Birdie benefited from the knowledge and persistence of a new advocate for his health and wellness. As Sophie explains in her own words: 

During my time with AmeriCorps, I noticed that the tank Birdie was living in was not considered a healthy size for adult yellow-bellied sliders. These turtles need around 75 gallons of water to swim around in, and a basking platform under a heat and UV lamp to accommodate their need to bask in the sunlight in the wild. I did a lot of research into what Birdie would need to improve his living situation, because I did not know much about turtles before meeting Birdie. As I kept finding ways that could improve Birdie’s living situation, I became more confident in my ability to make it happen.

Park staff gleefully filling up the new and improved tank with water. Everybody loves Birdie.

I ended up leading a project to get Birdie a new tank and basking platform, so that he could swim around and bask as intended. It was very rewarding to see Birdie swim around freely in his new home. It was also amazing to see Birdie enjoying his new basking platform and see his personality change from it. I’ve even seen him smiling while basking! I am grateful to everyone at the park who helped me in my vision to make this possible, and I’m glad people will be able to see Birdie continue swimming and basking for years to come.

Birdie, smiling for the camera. Photo credit: Grace Schliesske

Birdie the Turtle, Sky Meadows Celebrity, or Shell-ebrity

Now that Birdie has a larger tank, which of course takes up more space, his place in the park Visitor Center is even more prominent and inviting. Observers can now view the exhibit from all sides, as it is the literal centerpiece of the nature displays in what we call the “habitat room.” Even thought Birdie is certainly the star attraction, the space is also home to educational items such as animal pelts for tactile exploration and three Discovery Backpacks available for more in-depth, self-guided discovery at the park.

The new turtle habitat gives Birdie plenty of room to swim around and is also a great addition to the nature exhibits in the park Visitor Center.

As of this writing, the habitat room is also home to our Monarchs Rule! Exhibit, a seasonal program where we raise Monarch butterflies from the egg stage to release into the wild, giving them a leg up on survival and migration readiness. It is worth noting that Sophie was also integral to coordinating the Monarch program this year. Thank you for being a friend to all the park creatures, Sophie!

Congratulations on a job well-done, Sophie!

If you are interested in nature and wildlife conservation, come check out the displays at the Sky Meadows State Park Visitor Center. If you want to get involved in helping with the nature and wildlife programming at the park, consider becoming a park volunteer or applying for the AmeriCorps program.