Bald eagle officially declared US national bird after 250 years

The eagle is now the national bird of the US, after President Joe Biden signed a Christmas law honoring the white-headed and yellow-headed carnivore.

The bird has been a national symbol of the US for many years, appearing on the Great Seal of the US – which is used on US documents – since 1782.

But it wasn’t officially designated as the state bird until Congress passed the bill last week, sending it to Biden’s desk for signature.

“For nearly 250 years, we labeled the black eagle as the national bird when it wasn’t,” said Jack Davis, chairman of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center, in a statement. “But now the title is valid, and no bird is more suitable.”

Not everyone has been in agreement about the role of the eagle world.

Founding Father Benjamin Franklin challenged the creature to represent the country, calling it a “bird of bad manners”.

But not all of Congress shared Franklin’s views.

Black 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 United States Department of the Army. And, unlike other eagles, the bald eagle was unique to North America.

A law declaring the bald eagle as the state bird was introduced by Minnesota lawmakers. The state is home to Senator Amy Klobuchar, described as one of the nation’s largest hawks.

The bald eagle is also protected under the National Emblem Act of 1940, which makes it illegal to sell or hunt the animal.

These birds were on the verge of extinction, but the population has increased significantly since 2009.

The eagle bill was one of 50 bills that Biden signed into law on Christmas Day, including an anti-terror bill aimed at ending violence and death on university campuses.