Celebrating Summerville's Native Bird Species with Sculpture

A major public art initiative created by the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, Sculpture in the South and Summerville D.R.E.A.M., the B.I.R.D.S. Program brings together three diverse organizations to celebrate and highlight Summerville’s native bird species, its vibrant and historic downtown area, and Summerville’s growing reputation as a cultural arts destination. 

Combining the biological diversity of South Carolina with the rich historical identity of Summerville via the visual arts, the B.I.R.D.S. Program enhances the community’s understanding of the importance of conserving and restoring natural ecosystems, encourages the appreciation of, and support for, public art, and fosters Summerville’s economic vitality and cooperative spirit.

Twenty life-sized bronzes overlook the town from their perches on balconies, windowsills, shop signs and rooftops. These,
along with a mural of the American Redstart, a metal-work of the Chimney Swifts, and a sand-carved glass piece depicting the Carolina Parakeet, invite visitors and residents to investigate the unique shops, outstanding variety of restaurants and the kind of hometown hospitality you thought had disappeared forever.

We hope you enjoy our feathered friends that have found their homes in the downtown area: