US Names Bald Eagle As National Bird, 200 Years After It Became Its Symbol

The United States Senate passed a bill that officially crowns the bald eagle as America's national bird, over 200 years after it became the symbol of the country. The raptor's status as an official emblem has been restored after the bill, proposed by Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar, was approved by a unanimous vote, as per the New York Post.

"For more than 240 years, the bald eagle has been synonymous with American values, yet it is still not officially our national bird," Senator Cynthia Lummis said in a press release after the bill passed. "Today's bipartisan passage brings us one step closer to solidifying the eagle's place as an enduring symbol of our freedom, and I look forward to seeing this legislation pass the House and signed into law soon," it added.

Notably, the eagle has been used as a national symbol since the Roman era. The bird can be seen throughout the remnants of the destroyed empire, including on its infamous 'SPQR' governmental seal.

The bald eagle was specifically chosen by America's Founding Fathers since it is a native of the region. Although some have migrated a little further beyond the borders, the bird primarily lives and breeds in the United States, with a few living in Canada and Mexico, according to the National Park Services.

Although the bald eagle was never officially recognised as the official bird, its status as one of the country's most recognizable symbols was cemented in 1782 when it was added to the seal of the independent United States. According to the National Museum of American Diplomacy, it wasn't even the first animal to be considered for inclusion. It took the place of a simple, white eagle that was originally intended to be on the seal.

Several committees tried and failed to create the seal before giving the job to Charles Thomson, then the Secretary of Congress. He then combined the work of all three committees, which was adopted in June 1782 by the Continental Congress, making it the Great Seal of the United States. However, the Founding Fathers had bigger problems at hand in the wake of the American Revolution. Eventually, the idea was shelved and its legal status was lost in discussions.

Uncertainty surrounding bald eagle sightings during the 20th century further increased people's curiosity about the bird. Since they were seen as a national symbol, they were hunted excessively. This led to the introduction of the Bald Eagle Protection Act, which forbade their shooting or sale in 1940, contributing to the population's stabilization.

However, many American farms started using dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane or DDT, after World War II to keep invading insects away. The chemical's runoff destroyed the local fish populations in water bodies, which were the bald eagle's main source of food. The majority of the bald eagles that consumed these poisoned fish became sterile. According to the National Wildlife Federation, a small percentage of the birds were still able to reproduce, but their eggs were too weak and frequently smashed when the birds attempted to nest.

Six years after DDT was outlawed, in 1978, the bird was listed as endangered. Further, several conservation and breeding initiatives, along with rigorous adherence to the 1940 protection statute, enabled them to be ultimately taken off the list in 2007 and they are thriving to this day.