American Culture: Bald Eagle Officially Named National Bird of U.S.

01The bald eagle is a symbol of the United States.

02An image of the bird is on the flag and seal of the U.S.

03President, the seal of the U.S.

04Supreme Court, military insignia, as well as the dollar bill.

05Even so, the bird has had its ups and downs.

06At one time, the bald eagle was at risk of permanent disappearance or extinction.

07Later, however, its numbers recovered.

08In the early 2000s, the federal government removed the bird from its endangered species list.

09Culturally, too, the raptors are doing well again.

10In December 2024, before leaving office, Joe Biden signed legislation officially making the bald eagle the national bird of the United States.

11The bald eagle has a long, complex story of species weakness and recovery.

12An insect-killing chemical called DDT played a major part in that story.

13DDT is a chemical used to kill insects.

14The substance also proved harmful to eagle eggs.

15American officials banned DDT in 1972.

16But the use of the chemical had already caused severe damage to eagle populations.

17For example, in the 1980s, there was only one nesting pair of eagles in the state of New Jersey.

18Now there are about 300 pairs.

19To rebuild the number of eagles across the U.S., researchers wanting to save them imported the birds from places where their population numbers were secure, including Canada.

20Early on, they also removed eggs from their nests, so they could safely hatch with scientists, before being returned to their parents to raise.

21explained Kathy Clark.

22She is the head of New Jersey's Endangered and Non-Game Species Program.

23Clark has worked with the birds for many years.

24This includes the time when New Jersey had very few bald eagles, and they only lived in areas far from people.

25Clark said that she will always remember that feeling of not knowing if the species will survive.

26Maya Edwards is the science director at the American Bald Eagle Foundation in Alaska.

27She says the species represents one of the few conservation success stories of animals that came close to disappearing permanently from America.

28I think now it's really important to make sure people know that story and learn from it, she said.

29Clark said the eagles have taught officials some lessons.

30One is that the raptors are good at changing to fit their environment.

31The birds now live in parts of New Jersey that are dense with people.

32But the birds still face dangers in such areas.

33Jillian Fazio is director of the Essex County Turtleback Zoo in northern New Jersey.

34She said the zoo rescues a number of birds hit by cars.

35The zoo is also home to Freedom, a bald eagle named by the caretakers.

36Freedom was rescued hanging from a tree in Minnesota after he got caught in some rope.

37He was injured so badly that he cannot be returned to the wild, Fazio said.

38A lack of eagle habitat and prey also threatens the species.

39Bald eagles feed heavily on fish, so they require clean open water in which to hunt.

40Disease outbreaks, such as avian influenza or bird flu, are another serious threat to the birds.

41The birds are highly respected by several Native American cultures as symbols of strength, especially in the Pacific Northwest, says Paul Apodaca.

42He is a retired university professor who specializes in stories and storytelling from different cultures.

43The position of eagles as symbols of the U.S.

44adds to their protection.

45Americans are always going to have that sort of personal relationship with bald eagles, said Clark, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection official.

46Dan Day is a birder.

47He has seen bald eagles about 50 times in recent years, both on nature walks and while driving around.

48He said it really elevates your day to see a bald eagle.

49I'm Ana Mateo.