After more than two hundred years of symbolizing the United States’ might and power, the bald eagle is finally being recognized as itself. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden signed the law into effect, now marking the bald eagle a country’s national bird by the official declaration. That’s an update on United States Code, where, under the elegant bird characterized with the white head, yellow beak, and brown body, there is symbolic significance behind its appearance.
Since 1782, the bald eagle has appeared on the Great Seal of the United States as a symbol of the ideals of the nation through its depiction along with an olive branch, arrows, a flag-like shield, the motto “E Pluribus Unum,” and a constellation of stars. Although it is prominent in official insignias, documents, military emblems, and U.S. currency, the bald eagle was never declared the national bird legally until now.
A symbol of North America‘s legacy
This species of bird is native to North America and has, for many years, served as a national symbol. The first time the nation tied itself to the bird was when Congress adopted it for inclusion in the Great Seal design in 1782. The same year, the congress assigned the bird the status of the national emblem.
This official declaration by the Congress makes the bald eagle an icon of longevity and freedom, resilience, and unity for the United States. The legislation corrects an historical oversight and underlines the bird’s heritage as a figure of reverence in the nation’s history.
