President Joe Biden recently announced the Bald Eagle as the national bird of the country. While the magnificent bird was chosen as the official bird on Christmas Eve, 2024, it has been holding its significance in the country for centuries. Moreover, it is undoubtedly the most seen bird in American documents.
The significance of the bird in the US dates back to the 18th century. In 1776, it first appeared on a Massachusetts copper cent coin and soon became an American symbol. Since then, the bird appeared on many US coins, including the silver and gold ones.
The bird's importance in American history grew as it was placed on the Great Seal in 1782. Moreover, the bird is also on the mace of the House of Representatives, the president's flag, the one-dollar bill, and more.
Bald Eagles are often considered as the symbol of courage, freedom, strength, and immortality. However, there were a few people who were not a fan of the bird's status and one among them was Benjamin Franklin.
According to the US Department of Veteran's Affairs, Franklin wrote a letter to a friend in which he mentioned that Turkey should have been given respect in place of the eagle. The letter read,
"I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country; he is a bird of bad moral character; like those among men who live by sharping and robbing, he is generally poor, and often very lousy. The turkey is a much more respectable bird and withal a true, original native of America."
However, as not everyone felt the same way as Franklin, the eagle's significance has remained the same in the country.
Joe Biden makes the Bald Eagle the official bird of the US
Despite being iconic in American history, the Bald Eagle was never made the national bird. However, as the year came to an end, President Joe Biden signed 50 bills on Christmas Eve. One of them included the new law S. 4610 which makes the white-headed eagle the official bird of the US.
While the eagle with a yellow beak, white head, and brown body has been of great importance in the US, its population tremendously declined over centuries.
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In the late 1800s, the eagle's population was about 100,00 but the numbers declined over time. In order to protect the bird, the US Congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act in 1940 and made possession, killing, or selling of the bird illegal.
The population of the bird has improved since then and it is not more on the endangered species list.
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