Washington, ().- The bald eagle has officially become the national bird of the United States, after the signing of the president, Joe Biden, of a bill that sought to recognize the bird that has been used as an American symbol since 1782 when it joined the Great Seal.
On Christmas Eve, Biden signed the amendment promoted by the National Eagle Center and a bipartisan group of congressmen who wanted to formalize the designation as national bird of the Haliaeetus leucocephalus, the scientific name of the American eagle, also known as the bald eagle.
Live in peace with nature
Jack Davis, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative at the National Eagle Center and sponsor of the law, warned in a statement that for almost 250 years the bald eagle was called the national bird “when it was not.”
“Now the title is official and no bird deserves it more. We have twice pushed it toward extinction, but the bald eagle resisted, ultimately showing us that living in peace with nature enriches our quality of life,” he added.
Recognized by its white head and yellow beak, the bald eagle was nearly extinct in the mid-20th century due to the destruction and degradation of its habitat, as well as illegal hunting and contamination of its food source by insecticide. known as DDT.
Endangered
It is believed that the United States may have had up to 100,000 nesting eagles, but by 1963 only 417 nesting pairs were recorded, so the species was classified as endangered.
Efforts to prevent its disappearance have been classified as a “success story” of the measures taken by the US Government and environmentalists.
Bald eagle population estimates in the lower 48 states, based on data from 2018 to 2019, total 316,700 birds, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“The official designation of the bald eagle as our national bird reaffirms our nation’s commitment to conservation and honors a symbol beloved by Americans across the country,” said John Wodele, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative.
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