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History of Bald Eagles

On June 20, 1782, The Bald Eagle, or American Eagle, became the National Emblem of the United States by the Second Continental Congress because of its long life, great strength, majestic looks, and belief that it was unique to North America. The wild turkey was runner-up. The Great Seal of the United States was adopted at this time and shows a wide-spread eagle, faced front, breast covered with a shield of thirteen perpendicular red and white stripes, with a blue field with the same number of stars; right talon holding an olive branch; left talon holding a bundle of thirteen arrows; and beak carrying a scroll with the motto: “E Pluribus Unum.” The eagle appears in many state seals, on gold and silver coinage, and used for decorative patriotic purposes.

Before Europeans settled in America, there may have been about 500,000 bald eagles. As the human population grew, the eagle population declined, partly because they were competing for the same food and humans had weapons to their advantage. There was a sharp decline in the late 1800s. At this time, European settlers spun tales of eagles carrying away full-grown sheep, and even human babies, and they viewed them as potential livestock predators. This is not possible because the lifting power of an adult eagle is no more than about 4 or 5 pounds. Their scavenger image, powerfulness, and aggressiveness contribute to the negative image some people have of them.

In 1918, they received protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. In 1940, the Bald Eagle Act was passed by Congress. They began replenishing until DDT and other pesticides became widely used in the 1950s and ‘60s after World War II, which affected them because they would eat the poisoned small animals. The DDT-infected eagles laid eggs with too-thin shells that could not last the incubation period because they were not able to release calcium into the egg shells. In Alaska, more than 100,00 bald eagles were killed between 1917 to 1953 because fishermen feared they were a threat to salmon. The population dropped along with other predatory birds like the peregrine falcon and brown pelican.

In the 1960s and early 70s, they were placed on the endangered species list. Rachel Carson warned about the long-term effects of pesticide misuse in her 1962 book Silent Spring. In 1967, they were officially declared endangered under a law that preceded the Endangered Species Act of 1973. DDT was outlawed in the United States in 1972. On July 4, 1976, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially added it to their national list. In the early 1980s, the National Wildlife Federation was able to get the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to nationally ban lead shot in waterfowl hunting. By 1988, bald eagles were reproducing successfully in the wild and the federal reintroduction program was discontinued. In July 1995, their endangered states was added to Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Washington, and Oregon, where previously it had been 43 of the 48 lower states. In 1999, there was a proposal to remove the bald eagle from the federal list of endangered and threatened species.

Other historical significance of the eagle include the Egyptian hieroglyphic of an eagle that is symbolic of the free-soaring soul of man, adaptation of the eagle symbol by Phoenicians for the letter “a,” and American Indian custom of wearing eagle feathers as badges of rank and courage. Sacred among Native Americans, they fear being cursed if an eagle feather touches the ground. Of the 500 tribes, most view the eagle as a connection between them and the Creator. They are featured at the top of the center pole during the sun dance—an important religious ceremony. Even though possession of eagles and/or eagle parts is illegal, Native Americans can obtain a permit for receipt of those killed by human causes.

History of Bald Eagles

What Do Bald Eagles Look Like? – Physical Descriptions

Where Do Bald Eagles Live?

What Do Bald Eagles Eat? – Food Sources and Hunting Habits

Breeding Cycles of Bald Eagles – Mating and Nesting

Migration Patterns of Bald Eagles

Normal Lifespans and Causes of Death for Bald Eagles

Patriotic Poetry – The Eagle as National Emblem