Current Context : On Christmas Eve 2024, President Joe Biden signed a law officially designating the bald eagle as the national bird of the United States.

About  Bald Eagle

Historical Context:

• Featured on the Great Seal of the US since 1782, symbolizing strength, courage, and freedom.
• Benjamin Franklin opposed the bald eagle, calling it a “bird of bad moral character.”
• Congress recognized its symbolic value and indigenous status in North America.

Conservation Status:

• Protected under the National Emblem Act of 1940, banning hunting or selling bald eagles.
• Once near extinction, the bald eagle’s population has significantly recovered since 2009.