The bald eagle soars over North America. The mighty bird hunts across Alaska — and all across the contiguous United States. Americans have used the bald eagle as a symbol for their country since the 1700s. Yet it was not the nation’s official bird until now. On December 24, 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden made the bald eagle America’s national bird.
The United States was founded in 1776. But the young nation needed an official seal. Leaders had to create a design that would represent the country. In 1782, they adopted the Great Seal of the United States. That included a bald eagle. The eagle holds 13 arrows and an olive branch.
Ever since, the bald eagle has been a symbol of the United States. The bird with a white head has appeared on the country’s coins and stamps. It shows up on flags and important documents. A famous painting inside the U.S. Capitol includes a bald eagle. Many Americans thought the bald eagle was their national bird. At last, it finally is.
Preston Cook helped make this happen. He wrote a bill to explain why the bald eagle should be America’s national bird. It said the bird represents “independence, strength, and freedom.” It said the eagle is used by “all branches of the United States military.” And the bill called bald eagles “ to the spiritual lives and sacred belief systems of most Indigenous peoples.”
Cook’s bill also mentioned the efforts of Americans to save the bald eagle. In the 1960s, there were fewer than 500 nesting pairs outside of Alaska. But people — and the U.S. government — worked to keep the eagle from going extinct. New laws protected the bird. Today, the nation is home to more than 300,000 bald eagles.
Three U.S. senators introduced the bill in June 2024. Every senator voted for it in July. The bill also had support in the House of Representatives. Every U.S. representative voted for it on December 16. Then President Biden made the bill a law with his signature.
“For nearly 250 years, we called the bald eagle the national bird when it wasn’t,” said Jack Davis from the National Eagle Center. “But now the title is official,” he added. “And no bird is more deserving.”
The United States has several national symbols. The rose grows as the national flower. The oak tree stands tall as the national tree. And the bison roams as the national mammal. Now the bald eagle can fly high as an official symbol of the United States.
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
Updated January 2, 2025, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
