This Day In History: Founding Fathers Name Bald Eagle United States’ National Symbol
By MyFWC // June 20, 2016
On June 20, 1782, – 234 years ago – our country’s Founding Fathers chose the bald eagle as our national symbol.
Today, we celebrate the majestic bald eagle as well as our successful conservation of its populations – in Florida we went from 88 documented eagle nests in 1973 to an estimated 1,499 active nesting territories in 2014!
The bald eagle, our national bird, is a conservation success story. While no longer listed under the federal Endangered Species Act or state imperiled species rule, bald eagles remain protected by both the state eagle rule (F.A.C. 68A-16.002) and federal law.
You can help these iconic birds of prey by giving them space, particularly during nesting season, and by supporting conservation of their coastal and freshwater habitats.
