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- By Levi Rickert
Among the 50 bills signed by President Joe Biden on Christmas Eve was S.4610, which amends title 36, United States Code, to designate the bald eagle as the national bird of the United States.
This official title comes almost 250 years after the Continental Congress that declared independence in 1776 decided they wanted to have a seal for the newly formed nation. A committee was formed and tasked with developing the Great Seal of the United States.
In 1782, after years of deliberation and refinement, Congress approved the final design for the Great Seal. It featured the bald eagle clutching an olive branch in one talon, symbolizing peace, and arrows in the other, signifying readiness for war. The bird’s outstretched wings and piercing gaze conveyed strength and vigilance, while the banner in its beak bore the Latin phrase "E pluribus unum"—"Out of many, one."
When the Great Seal was unveiled, it was met with awe and pride. The bald eagle, with its soaring flight and commanding presence, had become more than just a bird; it was a symbol of the United States itself. Over time, the eagle appeared on coins, flags, and official documents, its image inspiring generations of Americans.
Even so, the bald eagle was never the official bird of the United States.
The legislation, Senate Bill 4610, that made the bald eagle the official bird was introduced by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). Klobuchar says Minnesota has the nation’s largest bald eagle populations.
"For nearly 250 years, we called the bald eagle the national bird when it wasn't," said Jack Davis, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center, in statement. "But now the title is official, and no bird is more deserving."
Eagles are a prominent symbol and figure in almost every Native American tribe and one of the most widespread clan animals used by Indigenous cultures. Eagle feathers are used in Indigenous ceremonies, so in 1970 a federal repository of deceased eagles was created by USFWS so Native American tribes could access eagle feathers and other parts of the animal for tribal use.
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