Bald Eagle Formally Recognized as US National Bird

The laws, signed by President Joe Biden, highlights the bald eagle’s longstanding significance in American tradition.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed into regulation a invoice that formally designates the bald eagle because the nationwide chook of america, correcting what lawmakers known as a long-overlooked omission.

Recognized for its hanging white head, yellow beak, and brown physique, the bald eagle has symbolized American independence, power, and freedom because it “was adopted because the Coat of Arms for america Nice Seal” on June 20, 1782,” the invoice mentioned.

The laws, handed by Congress and despatched to Biden, declares that the bald eagle is “the nationwide chook” and highlights its longstanding significance in American tradition. It additionally acknowledges the chook as “a historic image of america representing independence, power, and freedom” and emphasizes its uniqueness to North America.

Based on the regulation, the bald eagle stays “the main insignia for all branches of america navy.”

Congress famous the chook’s prevalence in authorities imagery, describing it as “the main picture on 1000’s of Federal Authorities branches, departments, and companies, together with the President, Vice-President, Congress, and Senate.”

The laws additionally acknowledges the bald eagle’s non secular and cultural significance to Indigenous peoples and Tribal communities, describing it as “integral to the non secular lives and sacred perception techniques of most Indigenous peoples” and “prevalent in perception, observe, tales, ceremonies, dance, traditions, songs, regalia, flags, insignias, arts, craft, and different types of non secular reverence.”

Congress celebrated the chook’s restoration from close to extinction, crediting the “joint efforts of the Federal Authorities and State and native governments, nonprofit organizations, and people” that “have contributed to the profitable restoration of the bald eagle.”

The inhabitants of bald eagles within the decrease 48 states was estimated at 316,700 in 2020, in keeping with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and has quadrupled since 2009.

The laws ensures that the designation won’t have an effect on current authorities insurance policies.

“Nothing in … the adoption of the bald eagle because the nationwide chook of america could also be … used as a motive to change … or in any other case have an effect on” any coverage or motion of the federal authorities, the invoice states.

The regulation’s passage formalizes the bald eagle’s standing as a cherished nationwide image, underscoring its function in each historical past and trendy American life.

The invoice was sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat.

The Related Press contributed to this report.