THE BALD EAGLE — AMERICA'S NATIONAL BIRD
Photo © Kenneth & Francesca Hulick
THE BALD EAGLE is a magnificent and glorious sight to the human eye. It was officially declared the National Emblem of the United States by the Second Continental Congress in 1782. It was selected by the founding fathers because it is truly an “all-American” bird, being the only eagle unique to North America. Benjamin Franklin initially desired the wild turkey as the national bird, because he thought the eagle was of bad moral character. But the Bald Eagle enchanted its way to become the living symbol of freedom, spirit, and pursuit of excellence in the United States of America. Its image and symbolism have played a significant role in American art, folklore, music, and architecture.
The range of the Bald Eagle covers the majority of North America. Its natural domain is from Alaska to Baja, California; from Maine to Florida; as well as most of Canada and northern Mexico. The bird itself is capable of living throughout North America’s varied habitats from the bayous of Louisiana to the Sonoran Desert, as well as in the eastern deciduous forests of Quebec and New England. Its preferred habitats are near seacoasts, rivers, large lakes, and other large bodies of open water with an abundance of fish. Bald Eagles that reside in the northern United States and Canada migrate to warmer southern climates during the winter to obtain easier access to food, especially fish. Some of the eagles inhabiting the southern United States and Mexico migrate slightly north during the hot summer months.
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OTHER Stories of America:
The Bald Eagle is a sacred bird to several North American peoples, with its feathers essential to many religious and spiritual traditions among Native Americans. Some cultures consider the eagles as spiritual messengers between gods and humans. Eagle feathers are often used in traditional ceremonies, principally in the creation of the ceremonial dress, as well as a part of fans, bustles, and head dresses. The Pawnee believe eagles to be symbols of fertility because their nests are built high off the ground and they are fiercely protective of their young. The Lakota give an eagle feather as a symbol of honor to an individual who achieves a duty, in modern times that being such as a graduation from college.
From 1967 to 1995, the Bald Eagle was listed as Endangered in most of the states. In 1995, it was reclassified to Threatened in the lower 48 states, remaining unlisted in Alaska. By 2007, the number of nesting pairs of eagles in the lower 48 states had increased from less than 500 in the early 1960s to over 10,000. They had recovered sufficiently enough to be de-listed from Threatened status. While habitat loss still remains a threat to the Bald Eagle’s complete recovery, most experts agree that it is creating hopeful evolution. Today, North America’s national symbol has become a common sight soaring the skies . . . a sight to behold by all.
Photo © Kenneth & Francesca Hulick
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