President Joe Biden officially declared the bald eagle the national bird of the United States after signing a law on Christmas Eve, honouring the white-headed, yellow-beaked bird of prey.The bald eagle has long been a symbol of the nation, appearing on the Great Seal of the United States, which is featured on official US documents, since 1782.

Although the bald eagle has long been considered the national bird, it was not officially designated as such until Congress passed a bill last week, which was then signed by President Biden.

"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. "But now the title is official, and no bird is more deserving."

The bald eagle's status as the national bird has not always been universally accepted. Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers, opposed the choice, calling the eagle a "bird of bad moral character." Nevertheless, Franklin's opinion was not shared by all members of Congress.

Bald eagles, like other eagles around the world, have long been viewed as symbols of strength, courage, freedom, and immortality, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Unlike other eagles, the bald eagle is native only to North America.

The legislation designating the bald eagle as the national bird was led by lawmakers from Minnesota, which Senator Amy Klobuchar highlighted as home to one of the largest bald eagle populations in the country.
The species is also protected under the National Emblem Act of 1940, which makes it illegal to sell or hunt the bird. Once on the brink of extinction, the bald eagle population has significantly increased since 2009.

The Bald Eagle Bill was one of 50 pieces of legislation signed into law by President Biden on Christmas Eve, including a federal anti-hazing law aimed at addressing violence and deaths on university campuses.