December saw a couple of interesting pieces of news about the bald eagle – one national, one local but with statewide implications. On December 24 President Joe Biden signed a bill officially designating the bald eagle as the country’s national bird.

The bird of brown and white feathers has long represented the United States as a majestic and soaring symbol, but only this week did a law make it official.

The bald eagle is featured on American military insignia, currency, stamps and even the helmets of an NFL team. However, the government has never officially recognized it as the United States’ national bird—until now.

The bald eagle is on the United States' national seal. However, until Christmas Eve, it wasn't on the books as the national bird. On Monday, Dec. 30, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar joined a standing-room-only crowd at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha to mark the legislation she sponsored making the designation official.

President Joe Biden signed into law legislation sent to him by Congress that amends the United States Code to correct what had long gone unnoticed and designate the bald eagle — familiar to many because of its white head, yellow beak and brown body — as the national bird.

America is nearly 250 years old, but until just recently, it had never had a national bird. Even the famous bald eagle, long a symbol of the nation, has never officially held the designation.