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'''Birmingham Bill''' is the [[Birmingham Zoo]]'s ceremonial groundhog. He is the featured part of a ceremony held every [[February 2]] (Groundhog Day) since [[1990]].
[[Image:Birmingham Bill.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Birmingham Bill]]
'''Birmingham Bill''' is the [[Birmingham Zoo]]'s ceremonial groundhog. He was the featured part of a ceremony held on [[Groundhog Day]].


The original Birmingham Bill lived to be 10 years old, and passed away on [[February 13]], [[1996]], 11 days after his final forecast. Since the passing of the original Birmingham Bill, several groundhogs have served as his stand-in, but the Zoo does not currently have a groundhog in its collection.
The original Birmingham Bill lived to be 10 years old, and passed away on [[February 13]], [[1996]], 11 days after his final forecast. Since the passing of the original Birmingham Bill, several groundhogs served as his stand-in, but the Zoo did not keep a groundhog in its regular collection.
 
After 2018, the zoo decided not to interrupt Bill's hibernation each year and use other animals and stand-ins instead. [[Bilbo]] the Eurasian owl made the [[2020]] prediction. [[Birmingham Jill]], a [[Virginia opossum]], has also been consulted. In [[2022]] the zoo's press release highlighted groundhog [[Jamie Bill]]'s continuing hibernation without issuing any prediction.


==References==
==References==
*Roberts, Chris (February 3, 1997) "New Birmingham Bill debuts:  Pops up and sees an early spring." ''Birmingham News''
* Roberts, Chris (February 3, 1997) "New Birmingham Bill debuts:  Pops up and sees an early spring." {{BN}}
*Norris, Torraine (February 4, 2006) "Hole truth: Birmingham Bill a phony." ''Birmingham News''
* Norris, Torraine (February 4, 2006) "Hole truth: Birmingham Bill a phony." {{BN}}
*Walton, Val (March 11, 2010) "[http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-stories/2010/03/will_a_hoover_harry_be_seeing.html Will a Hoover Harry be seeing his shadow?]" ''Birmingham News''
* Walton, Val (March 11, 2010) "[http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-stories/2010/03/will_a_hoover_harry_be_seeing.html Will a Hoover Harry be seeing his shadow?]" {{BN}}
* Cuthbert, Matt (February 2, 2011) "Groundhog Day 2011: Birmingham Bill sees his shadow." {{BN}}
* Couch, Frank (February 2, 2015) "Birmingham Bill will take Groundhog Day off this year." {{BN}}
* Kazek, Kelly (February 2, 2016) "What did Alabama's weather-forecasting possum and celebrity groundhog predict today?" {{BN}}
* Kazek, Kelly (February 2, 2016) "A history of Alabama's prognosticating possum and its 2 celebrity groundhogs." {{BN}}
* Specker, Lawrence (February 2, 2019) "[https://www.al.com/news/2019/02/groundhog-snoozes-alabama-possum-predicts-more-winter.html Groundhog snoozes, Alabama opossum predicts more winter.]" {{BN}}
* Garrison, Greg (February 2, 2020) "[https://www.al.com/news/2020/02/bilbo-the-owl-takes-over-for-birmingham-bill-on-groundhog-day.html Bilbo the owl takes over for Birmingham Bill on Groundhog Day]" {{BN}}
* Hollman, DeRenn (February 2, 2022) "[https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2022/02/groundhog-day-2022-birmingham-bill-is-too-tired-to-see-his-shadow.html Groundhog Day 2022: Birmingham Bill is too tired to see his shadow]."


==See also==
* [[Sand Mountain Sam]], an opossum in [[Albertville]]
* [[Smith Lake Jake]], a groundhog in [[Graysville]]


[[Category:Zoo animals]]
[[Category:Zoo animals]]
[[Category:Mammals]]
[[Category:Rodents]]
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]

Latest revision as of 13:19, 5 July 2023

Birmingham Bill

Birmingham Bill is the Birmingham Zoo's ceremonial groundhog. He was the featured part of a ceremony held on Groundhog Day.

The original Birmingham Bill lived to be 10 years old, and passed away on February 13, 1996, 11 days after his final forecast. Since the passing of the original Birmingham Bill, several groundhogs served as his stand-in, but the Zoo did not keep a groundhog in its regular collection.

After 2018, the zoo decided not to interrupt Bill's hibernation each year and use other animals and stand-ins instead. Bilbo the Eurasian owl made the 2020 prediction. Birmingham Jill, a Virginia opossum, has also been consulted. In 2022 the zoo's press release highlighted groundhog Jamie Bill's continuing hibernation without issuing any prediction.

References

See also

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