After nearly 250 years of unofficial status, the bald eagle is now the official national bird of the United States.
President Joe Biden signed the designation into law on Christmas Eve, marking a new chapter for the iconic white-headed bird of prey.
Bald Eagle Wasn’t US National Bird Before
While the bald eagle has graced the Great Seal of the US since 1782, it was never formally named the national bird until Congress passed the bill last week.
“For nearly 250 years, we called the bald eagle the national bird when it wasn’t,” noted Jack Davis, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative.
Davis added that no bird is more deserving that the bald eagle to be named as the country’s national bird.
There has been much debate about weather or not to approve the bird as national symbol in the US history.
Benjamin Franklin famously disapproved of the bald eagle for having “bad moral character”.
