The Bald Eagle is Officially the National Bird of the U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The bald eagle is now officially the national bird of the United States after President Joe Biden signed a bill into law the day before Christmas Eve. Although the bald eagle has been a symbol of America for centuries, Bill S.4610 assigns it as the national bird.

The bald eagle has appeared on the Great Seal of the U.S. since 1782, but it wasn’t until recently that Congress passed a bill giving it official status. The legislation was sent to President Biden just before Christmas, and he signed it into law shortly after.

"For nearly 250 years, we called the bald eagle the national bird when it wasn’t," said Preston Cook, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center. "But now the title is official, and no bird is more deserving."

But the bald eagle’s official status was not always a given in history.

Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s Founding Fathers, famously denied the eagle, calling it a "bird of bad moral character." Franklin suggested the wild turkey as a better symbol for the U.S. Still, many others, including members of Congress, supported the bald eagle as a powerful symbol of strength, courage, and freedom.

The bald eagle is native only to North America, making it a fitting symbol for the nation. The bird has been a symbol of power and resilience for generations. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, it also represents immortality and freedom.