President Joe Biden has signed legislation officially designating the bald eagle as the national bird of the United States.
The law, enacted on Christmas Eve, solidifies the iconic bird’s symbolic status nearly 250 years after it first appeared on the Great Seal of the United States in 1782.
“For nearly 250 years, we called the bald eagle the national bird when it wasn’t,” said Jack Davis, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Centre. “But now the title is official, and no bird is more deserving.”
While the bald eagle has long been a symbol of strength, freedom, and courage, not everyone in early American history agreed with its national status. Although the bald eagle is at the center of the Great Seal of the United States, it was never formally recognized as the country’s official bird.
Some of the Founding Fathers — Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson — were tasked with creating a national seal but simply couldn’t come to an agreement.
Founding Father Benjamin Franklin criticised the bird, describing it as a “bird of bad moral character.”
However, Congress chose the bald eagle for its majestic qualities and its indigenous status, unique to North America.
The legislation was championed by lawmakers from Minnesota, a state with one of the largest bald eagle populations. Senator Amy Klobuchar praised the bill, calling it a recognition of the bird’s resilience after being on the brink of extinction.
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The bald eagle has been protected since 1940 under the National Emblem Act, which prohibits hunting or selling the species. Its population has significantly rebounded in recent decades, particularly since 2009.
The raptor had already served to represent American strength for nearly 250 years; Congress designated it the national emblem in 1782.
The bipartisan bill had been introduced in the Senate months ago by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.). It passed Congress unanimously.
“The bald eagle is a symbol of our country’s freedom and strength,” Klobuchar said in a statement following the bill’s passage.
“In Minnesota, we know a thing or two about eagles: we are home to one of the largest populations of bald eagles in the country as well as the National Eagle Center in Wabasha,” she added. “With the passage of our legislation, the bald eagle will now officially be recognized as our nation’s national bird.”
The designation was part of a flurry of activity on Christmas Eve, with Biden signing 50 bills into law, including an anti-hazing law to address violence on university campuses.
