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The bald eagle is officially declared the national bird of the USA after 250 years
2024-12-25 19:06:17 / BOTA
The bald eagle is now officially the national bird of the US, after President Joe Biden signed a law on Christmas Eve honoring the white-headed, yellow-beaked bird of prey.
The bird has been a national emblem in the US for years, appearing on the Great Seal of the US - used on US documents - since 1782.
But it wasn't officially designated as the national bird until Congress passed the bill last week, sending it to Biden's desk for signature.
"For nearly 250 years, we called the bald eagle the national bird, when it wasn't," Jack Davis, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center, said in a statement.
"But now the title is official and no bird is more deserving."
Most Americans are familiar with the seal eagle, which holds a shield decorated with a flag, holding an olive branch in one claw and arrows in the other.
Not everyone has always agreed on the national status of the bird of prey.
Founding Father Benjamin Franklin opposed the choice of the bald eagle to represent the country, calling it a 'bird of bad moral character'.
But not all of Congress shared Franklin's sentiments.
Bald eagles, like other eagles around the world, have been seen by many as symbols of strength, courage, freedom and immortality for generations, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
And, unlike other eagles, the bald eagle was indigenous only to North America.
Legislation designating the bald eagle as the national bird was passed by Minnesota lawmakers.
The state is home to what Senator Amy Klobuchar described as one of the nation's largest populations of bald eagles.
The bald eagle is also protected under the National Emblem Act of 1940, which makes it illegal to sell or hunt the creature.
The birds were once on the verge of extinction, but the population has increased greatly 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.
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