Washington: President Joe Biden signed a law on Christmas Eve, after which the bald eagle has now officially become the national bird of the United States.
The bird has been a national symbol in the United States for many years and has appeared on the Great Seal of the United States used on American documents since 1782, but the bird has not been declared a national bird.
However, before the bill was approved by Congress last week, a summary was prepared to officially declare it the national bird and it was sent to Biden’s desk for signature.
Jack Davis, co-chairman of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center, said in a statement that for almost 250 years we called the bald eagle the national bird, but it did not have official patronage. I think no bird is more deserving.
Not everyone has always agreed on the bald eagle’s national status. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin objected to the creature being chosen to represent the country, calling it a “bird of bad moral character.”
But not all members of Congress share Franklin’s sentiments. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the bald eagle, like other eagles around the world, has been viewed for generations as a symbol of strength, courage, freedom, and immortality, and unlike other eagles, the bald eagle is native to North America.
The bill to make the bald eagle the national bird was led by lawmakers in Minnesota. The state is home to Senator Amy Klobuchar, who has one of the largest bald eagle populations in the country.
The bald eagle is also protected under the National Emblem Act of 1940, which makes it illegal to sell or hunt the animal.
The birds were once on the brink of extinction, but their population has rebounded since 2009.
The Bald Eagle Bill was one of 50 pieces of legislation Biden signed into law on Christmas Eve, including a federal anti-hazing law to address violence and deaths on college campuses.
