The bald eagle, a symbol of the power and strength of the United States for more than 240 years, earned an overdue honor on Tuesday: It officially became the country’s national bird.

The bald eagle has landed in U.S. Code as President Joe Biden signed a bill Tuesday making the predator the official national bird.

President Joe Biden recently announced the Bald Eagle as the national bird of the country. While the magnificent bird was chosen as the official bird on Christmas Eve, 2024, it has been holding its significance in the country for centuries.

The bald eagle has appeared on the Great Seal of the United States, which is used in official documents, since 1782, when the design was finalized.

The bird has been a national emblem in the US for years, but it never had an official status in the country's 248-year history.

WASHINGTON, D.C.– The bald eagle has officially been designated as the national bird of the United States. President Joe Biden signed into law legislation

The White House announced on Christmas Eve President Joe Biden signed a bill officially designating the bald eagle as the national bird. The bill, signed Monday after being passed unanimously by Congress, amends Title 36 of the United States Code, officially appointing the predator one of the country's national symbols.

President Joe Biden signed 50 bills into law on Tuesday that include making the bald eagle the country's official bird and one that stops members of Congress from collecting their pensions if convicted of crimes.

The bald eagle is native to North America. The species was nearly wiped out from the lower 48 states before federal conservation efforts helped restore the population.

Uncle Sam, a 25-year-old bald eagle, sits on his perch in front of a U.S. flag Sept. 11, 2013, before the Extreme Raptors Show at the Permian Basin Fair in