The bald eagle has been a symbol of the United States for centuries, with its iconography plastered across currency, documents, flags, stamps, government buildings, military uniforms and more.
You’d be forgiven for thinking it’s America’s national bird. But the fine print doesn’t officially say so — at least not yet.
On Monday, the House of Representatives passed a bill amending the U.S. Code to officially designate the bald eagle (aka Haliaeetus leucocephalus) as the country’s national bird.
Turns out the bald eagle wasn’t the official U.S. bird until this week
“Today, we rightfully recognize the bald eagle as our official national bird — bestowing an honor that is long overdue,” said Rep. Brad Finstad, the Minnesota Republican who introduced the House version of the bill earlier this year.
So why did the recognition take so long, and how did it finally become a reality? Americans have one dogged eagle enthusiast to thank.
Eagles have been used as a symbol of strength since ancient Rome, so it’s not surprising that they soared into American iconography too.
After the U.S.’ founding in 1776, three different committees tried unsuccessfully to come up with an official seal that would satisfy Congress.
Eventually, Charles Thomson, the secretary of Congress, combined elements from all three proposals into what is now known as the Great Seal, featuring an eagle front and center, clasping an olive branch and arrows in its talons.
The original proposal depicted a small, white eagle. Thomson recommended it be replaced with a bald eagle, a species native to North America.
Congress adopted the design in 1782, cementing the bald eagle’s status as an American icon.