House Passes Bill to Designate Bald Eagle as National Bird, Sending Measure

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The bird is on the national seal and on state flags and seals, with the former beginning in 1782.

WASHINGTON—The House passed a bill on Dec. 16 that would designate the bald eagle as the official bird of the United States—sending the legislation to President Joe Biden to sign into law.

The measure, introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), passed by voice vote, meaning there was no recorded vote.

The Senate, in a rare instance of bipartisanship, passed the bill on July 29 by unanimous consent, meaning that no senators objected to it.

Currently, the bald eagle is unofficially the national bird and it is illegal to shoot one without an Interior Department permit. The bird has been on the national seal since 1782, and is also on state flags and seals.

The bill notes that the bird is “a historical symbol of the United States representing independence, strength, and freedom” and is “unique to North America.”

It is also used as the logo for businesses, sports, and other brands. Philadelphia’s NFL team is the Eagles as the City of Brotherly Love was where the Thirteen Colonies declared independence from Great Britain in 1776.

According to the bill, “bald eagles are integral to the spiritual lives and sacred belief systems of most indigenous peoples and tribal communities” in addition to being “prevalent in belief, practice, stories, ceremonies, dance, traditions, songs, regalia, flags, insignias, arts, craft, and other forms of spiritual reverence.”

Rep. Brad Finstad (R-Minn.), who introduced a House version of the bill, said in a statement that the bald eagle “stands as the undisputed representative of the United States of America.”

Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) said in a statement that “these majestic creatures have long been viewed as the official bird of this country and it is past time we made it official without costing taxpayers a single cent.”

“The bald eagle has been a universally recognizable symbol of patriotism in this country for centuries,” said Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.).

Preston Cook, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center, said that the bald eagle deserves an official place as America’s national symbol.

“While most people assume the Bald Eagle is our nation’s official bird, the fact is our country doesn’t have an official bird,” he said in a statement.

“The bison is the national mammal, the rose is the national flower, and the oak is the national tree,” he continued. “It’s time the Bald Eagle, long revered as our national symbol, finds its rightful place as our country’s official national bird.”