America’s Icon Takes Flight, Declared NATIONAL BIRD After 250 Years! 

America's Icon Takes Flight, Declared NATIONAL BIRD After 250 Years! Credit | Getty Images
America's Icon Takes Flight, Declared NATIONAL BIRD After 250 Years! Credit | Getty Images

United States: The bald eagle is now officially the national bird of the US after Biden signed the law on Christmas Eve that conferred dignity to the white-headed and yellow-beaked bird of prey. 

More about the news 

The bird has been a national emblem in the United States for years, with its image shown on the Great Seal of the United States, which has been utilized in American documents since 1782. 

However, it had not been recognized to be the national bird until Congress passed the bill last week to send it to Biden to sign. 

According to Jack Davis, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center, “For nearly 250 years, we called the bald eagle the national bird when it wasn’t,” “But now the title is official, and no bird is more deserving,” BBC News reported. 

America's Icon Takes Flight, Declared NATIONAL BIRD After 250 Years! Credit | Getty Images
America’s Icon Takes Flight, Declared NATIONAL BIRD After 250 Years! Credit | Getty Images

What more are the officials stating? 

As with most things in this world, everyone has not always received the national status of the bald eagle well. 

Even such an enlightenment figure as Benjamin Franklin did not like that this creature was selected as the symbol of the country, dubbing it a ‘bird of a bad moral character’. 

Several generations across the world have identified eagles as birds that represent strength, courage, freedom, and even immortality, while different eagles in the world include the bald eagle, the steppe eagle, and many more, as received from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. 

But unlike most eagles, the bald eagle was native to North America. It was under the Minnesota legislature’s prompting that the bald eagle was to be the country’s symbol under this law. 

America's Icon Takes Flight, Declared NATIONAL BIRD After 250 Years! Credit | Reuters
America’s Icon Takes Flight, Declared NATIONAL BIRD After 250 Years! Credit | Reuters

The state is also endowed with one of the biggest populations of the bald eagle, according to Senator Amy Klobuchar. 

The bald eagle is also on the federal protected list provided by the National Emblem Act of 1940, which prohibits selling or hunting of the creature. 

The birds used to be endangered; however, since 2009, the number of birds has risen significantly, BBC News reported. 

The Bald Eagle bill was among the 50 bills that Biden signed into law on Christmas Eve, such as the federal anti-hazing bill that would be used to address violence and deaths in colleges.