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SALT LAKE CITY — A golden eagle named Chrys held court at the Utah Senate on Thursday as lawmakers voted to designate it the state bird of prey.
"We have a beautiful symbol for the state of Utah. We love the California seagull, we do, but having a bird of prey that represents a broad swath of the state is important," said bill sponsor Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork.
He noted the species represents ideas like freedom and power.
Chrys, whose name comes from the species' scientific name Aquila chrysaetos, was handled by Debbie Petersen, a representative of Salt Lake City-based conservation nonprofit HawkWatch International. As the large bird of prey looked with apparent curiosity around the Senate chamber, McKell quipped that some of his colleagues said they would vote for SB116 if he brought a golden eagle to the Capitol.
"Symbols do matter, and we appreciate the golden eagle," McKell said.
An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 golden eagles live in the U.S., most of which live in the West, according to the American Eagle Foundation.
Last year appeared to be the worst in more than 40 years for the rate of nestling survival in Utah. High morbidity is due to RHD2, a strain of rabbit hemorrhagic disease that is decimating a primary food source for eagles — large jackrabbits.
The bill received unanimous passage in the Senate. It will move to the House for a vote before becoming final.
