UNITED STATES - Though it has been the national emblem of the United States since the late 1700’s, the bald eagle was never formally recognized as the country’s national bird - until this week.
On December 24, President Joe Biden signed legislation finally honoring the regal bird of prey as the national bird. An American icon for over 240 years, the striking raptor’s unmistakable white head, yellow beak, and brown body has adorned the Great Seal of the United States since 1782.
"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 a release. "But now the title is official, and no bird is more deserving."
Indigenous to North America, the bald eagle is an increasingly common sight over the wetlands and waters of Delmarva as the birds continue to make a comeback. Due to the use of pesticides such as DDT, the Chesapeake Bay had only 60 breeding pairs of the eagles on the Chesapeake Bay in the 1970s, according to the Chesapeake Bay Program. After banning the majority of most applications of DDT, that number recovered to around 2,000 breeding pairs on the Bay by 2016.
Today, Dorchester County, MD has the largest breeding population of bald eagles in the region, according to CBP.
The bill to finally recognize the bald eagle as the country’s national bird was brought to Biden’s desk through bipartisan efforts in the House of Representatives.
