The U.S. does not have a national bird. But Congress wants to change that

Wondering what the U.S. national bird is? Although many Americans would guess it is the bald eagle, it technically doesn’t have the national designation. But Congress is moving to change that.
After the Senate unanimously passed a bill in late July, the House of Representatives will potentially move to legalize this designation after returning from recess next week.
The bird was originally installed on the Great Seal of the U.S. in 1783. After the American flag, the bald eagle is often used to represent the country, permanently embedding itself in the minds of Americans. Despite putting it on the seal, Congress didn’t approve it as the national bird.
“While most people assume the bald eagle is our nation’s official bird, the fact is our country doesn’t have an official bird,” said Preston Cook, co-chair of the national bird initiative for the National Eagle Center, according to a June press release.
“The bison is the national mammal, the rose is the national flower, and the oak is the national tree,” he said. In comparison, all 50 states have declared their state bird, like the California gull in Utah and the cactus wren in Arizona.
“It’s time the bald eagle, long revered as our national symbol, finds its rightful place as our country’s official national bird,” said Cook.
Lawmakers from Minnesota — Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Democratic Rep. Angie Craig and Republican Rep. Brad Finstad — and Wyoming — Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis — led the legislative effort in Congress.
“The bald eagle is a symbol of our country’s freedom and strength. In Minnesota, we are proud to call ourselves home to one of the largest populations of bald eagles in the country as well as the National Eagle Center in Wabasha,” said Klobuchar back in June. “My bipartisan legislation will officially designate the bald eagle as our country’s National Bird.”
Finstad in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, said he looks forward to the passage of the companion legislation he introduced in the House.
“As an undisputed symbol of our Nation, the bald eagle represents the strength and independence that we hold in our hearts as American citizens and it is past time that the bald eagle is rightfully recognized as the national bird,” he said earlier last month, following the bill’s passage in the Senate.
So far, there is no vocal opposition against this bill. Preston Cook, a Minnesota resident and the author of “American Eagle: A Visual History of Our National Emblem,” told Roll Call, “It’s a feel-good thing, especially at a time with all the divisiveness we have.”
Aside from being a powerful symbol of the U.S. for more than 240 years, the bald eagle also has a conservation success story. The large bird dropped in numbers in the mid-20th century because of loss of habitat and persecution because of the prejudice that these were highly dangerous birds that killed livestock and attacked children. The effects of the pesticide DDT also lowered their already dwindling population, according to the Defenders of Wildlife.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940 were meant to offer these birds protections. These laws carry maximum criminal penalties of up to a $250,000 fine and two years in federal prison. Despite tough restrictions, the bald eagle was listed under the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1967 and the Endangered Species Act in 1978, prompting more conservation programs that included captive breeding, habitat protection and reintroduction initiatives. Finally, by 1995, the bald eagle shifted from endangered to threatened status.
Utah is home to one of the largest wintering populations of bald eagles in the country. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, headquartered in Arizona, more than 1,200 of these birds have been counted in the Beehive State.