The bald eagle has officially been declared the “national bird” of the United States, after President Joe Biden signed a law honoring the raptor with a yellow beak.
The bird has been a national emblem in the U.S. for many years, appearing on the Great Seal of the United States and used in American documents since 1782.
However, it was not formally designated as the “national bird” until Congress passed the bill last week and sent it to President Biden’s desk for signing.
“For nearly 250 years, we’ve called the bald eagle the ‘national bird,’ but it wasn’t official—today it is,” said Jack Davis, co-chair of the National Eagle Initiative at the National Eagle Center.
