Overview
The bald eagle appeared on the Great Seal in 1782, adorned currency and military insignia for centuries, and every American assumed it was the national bird. But it wasn't—not officially. Preston Cook, a Minnesota eagle memorabilia collector, discovered this while researching a book around 2009. Congress had never passed a law designating any national bird.
On Christmas Eve 2024, President Biden signed S.4610, finally making it official. The bill passed the Senate unanimously in July and sailed through the House in December without opposition. It took 242 years to notice the gap, but just five months to fix it once someone actually wrote the bill.
Key Indicators
People Involved
Organizations Involved
Wildlife education center in Wabasha, Minnesota that houses the 40,000-piece Preston Cook American Eagle Collection.
Revolutionary-era governing body that approved the Great Seal featuring the bald eagle but never designated a national bird.
Timeline
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Biden Signs S.4610 Into Law on Christmas Eve
LegalBald eagle officially becomes national bird after 242 years as informal symbol. Law becomes P.L. 118-206.
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House Passes S.4610 by Voice Vote
LegislativeHouse clears bill without opposition; heads to President's desk.
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Senate Passes S.4610 by Unanimous Consent
LegislativeBill clears Senate without a single objection or recorded vote.
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S.4610 Introduced in Senate
LegislativeKlobuchar, Lummis, Mullin, and Smith introduce bipartisan bill to amend Title 36 U.S. Code.
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Preston Cook Discovers Eagle Never Officially Designated
DiscoveryWhile researching eagle memorabilia book, Cook finds no congressional designation; National Archives confirms the gap.
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Bald Eagle Removed from Endangered Species List
ConservationPopulation recovered to over 5,000 breeding pairs; conservation success complete.
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DDT Banned in United States
ConservationPesticide that thinned eagle eggshells prohibited, enabling population recovery.
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Bald Eagle Listed Under Endangered Species Preservation Act
ConservationPopulation had crashed to 417 breeding pairs due to DDT; federal protections begin.
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Franklin Criticizes Eagle Choice in Private Letter
HistoricalBenjamin Franklin writes daughter calling eagle a bird of "bad moral character," praises turkey instead—but never formally opposed seal.
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Continental Congress Adopts Great Seal with Bald Eagle
HistoricalSecretary Charles Thomson's design featuring the bald eagle approved, creating national emblem but no bird designation.
Scenarios
Other Symbolic Oversights Get Fixed in 119th Congress
Discussed by: Speculative based on pattern set by S.4610 success
The bald eagle's easy passage could inspire Congress to formalize other assumed-but-uncodified symbols. The national anthem wasn't designated until 1931, the motto until 1956, the tree until 2004. Members might discover other gaps—perhaps a national insect, national hymn, or state-level symbol harmonization. Given the zero-controversy nature and quick five-month timeline, expect copycat bills if staffers start auditing Title 36.
Bill Becomes Legislative Trivia, Changes Nothing Functionally
Discussed by: Most likely outcome based on symbolic nature of legislation
S.4610 changes nothing about how eagles appear on seals, currency, or military insignia—they were already there. This law closes a bureaucratic loop, not a practical gap. Expect it to become a fun-fact footnote in civics classes and bar trivia, with zero impact on policy, conservation, or federal operations. The National Eagle Center gets a PR boost, Cook gets a legacy, everyone moves on.
Cook's Model Inspires More Citizen-Drafted Legislation
Discussed by: Based on successful citizen advocacy playbook demonstrated by Preston Cook
Preston Cook proved that a private citizen with a niche interest and solid research can draft a bill, get a senator's buy-in, and pass both chambers in five months with zero opposition. If other advocacy groups study his approach—find an uncontroversial gap, write simple statutory language, build bipartisan support early—they might replicate his success on low-stakes symbolic or technical fixes that typically languish in committee.
Historical Context
Star-Spangled Banner Becomes National Anthem (1931)
1814–1931What Happened
Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner" in 1814 during the War of 1812, and it became the de facto anthem played at military and civic events. But Congress didn't officially designate it as the national anthem until March 3, 1931—117 years later—after a campaign by veterans' groups.
Outcome
Short term: Formalized what was already standard practice at government and military ceremonies.
Long term: Set precedent for Congress codifying symbols long after they'd become culturally embedded.
Why It's Relevant
Shows the bald eagle's 242-year gap isn't unique—symbolic designations often lag cultural adoption by a century or more.
Oak Tree Voted National Tree (2004)
2001–2004What Happened
The Arbor Day Foundation ran a public vote in 2004 among 21 tree species to determine America's national tree. Oak won with 101,000 votes, beating redwood's 81,000. Congress passed legislation in November 2004 making it official—the first time citizens directly voted on a national symbol before congressional action.
Outcome
Short term: Oak tree designated by P.L. 108-535, joining rose and bison as official symbols.
Long term: Demonstrated that national symbol campaigns could be participatory and generate public engagement.
Why It's Relevant
Like the eagle bill, this was quick, uncontroversial, and filled a gap nobody realized existed until someone pointed it out.
Bald Eagle Endangered Species Recovery (1967–2007)
1967–2007What Happened
By the 1960s, DDT pesticide had decimated bald eagle populations to just 417 breeding pairs. The species was listed as endangered in 1967, DDT was banned in 1972, and aggressive conservation efforts followed. By 2007, the population had rebounded to over 5,000 pairs, and the eagle was delisted.
Outcome
Short term: Population recovery prevented extinction of America's most iconic bird.
Long term: Became the signature success story of the Endangered Species Act, proving federal intervention works.
Why It's Relevant
The irony: America spent decades saving the bald eagle from extinction but never legally declared it the national bird until 2024.