The bald eagle recently received a title that many assumed it already had: the national bird of the United States. For centuries, the bird has been a ubiquitous symbol for the nation, almost as recognizable as the American flag. Bald eagles have long adorned postal stamps, quarters, the insignias of most military branches, and the Great Seal of the United States. The bird also features prominently in sports and clothing brand logos. But until December, its only official designation was as the national emblem. That changed when Congress passed a bipartisan bill to officially recognize the bird as tops among fowl. “For nearly 250 years, we called the bald eagle the national bird when it wasn’t,” says Jack Davis, co-chair of the National Bird Initiative for the National Eagle Center. “But now the title is official, and no bird is more deserving.” The bald eagle joins the ranks of the oak (our national tree) and the bison (our national mammal).