The United States recognizes two distinct creatures as its official national animals: the bald eagle, serving as the National Bird, and the American bison, designated as the National Mammal. While the bald eagle has represented the nation on the Great Seal since 1782, its formal legal status as the "National Bird" was codified by an act of Congress as recently as late 2024. Conversely, the American bison joined the ranks of official symbols in 2016, marking a historic recognition of a land animal that embodies the resilience and wild spirit of the American West.

These animals are more than mere mascots; they are legal entities protected by federal law and deeply embedded in the cultural, spiritual, and historical fabric of North America. Understanding their path to official status reveals a narrative of near-extinction, conservation triumphs, and the evolving identity of a nation.

The National Bird: The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

The bald eagle is perhaps the most ubiquitous symbol of American authority. It appears on the presidential seal, military insignia, currency, and federal buildings. However, for over two centuries, its status was primarily ceremonial and heraldic rather than officially designated as the "National Bird" by statutory law.

The Recent Formalization of the National Bird

In July 2024, the United States Senate passed S.4610, a bill specifically designed to amend Title 36 of the United States Code to designate the bald eagle as the national bird. This legislative move, spearheaded by bipartisan efforts, sought to close a historical gap. While the bald eagle was adopted as the central figure of the Great Seal of the United States on June 20, 1782, it lacked a specific congressional act naming it the official national bird in the same way the American bison was named the national mammal in 2016.

The 2024 Act findings emphasize that the bald eagle is unique to North America and serves as the leading image for all branches of the U.S. government. By formally codifying its status, Congress ensured that the bird's symbolic importance is legally recognized on par with other national icons like the flag or the national anthem.

Historical Origins and the Great Seal

The choice of the bald eagle in 1782 was not without debate. The Continental Congress appointed three successive committees to design a national seal. It was Charles Thomson, the Secretary of the Continental Congress, who combined elements from these designs to place the American bald eagle at the center. In his design, the eagle holds an olive branch (representing peace) in its right talon and thirteen arrows (representing war and the original colonies) in its left.

A popular historical anecdote involves Benjamin Franklin, who famously expressed his distaste for the eagle in a letter to his daughter. Franklin described the bald eagle as a bird of "bad moral character" that does not get his living honestly, citing its tendency to steal fish from ospreys. Franklin jokingly suggested the wild turkey as a "much more respectable bird" and a true native of America. Despite Franklin’s critiques, the eagle’s majesty and strength won over the Founding Fathers, cementing its place on the Great Seal.

Biological Prowess and Characteristics

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a sea eagle, typically found near large bodies of open water with an abundance of fish. Its physical capabilities are a testament to its role as a top predator.

  • Vision: An eagle's eyesight is legendary, estimated to be four to eight times sharper than that of a human. With 20/5 vision, a bald eagle can spot a rabbit or a fish from up to two miles away. This acute sense is facilitated by large eyes that can focus on two objects simultaneously—one directly in front and one to the side.
  • Architecture: Bald eagles are master builders. They construct the largest nests of any North American bird, known as eyries. These nests are typically five to six feet in diameter and can weigh over a ton. The largest recorded nest was nearly 10 feet wide and 20 feet deep, weighing over two tons—a massive structure supported by sturdy old-growth trees.
  • Strength: The talons of a bald eagle can exert a crushing force of approximately 400 pounds per square inch (psi). This is ten times the grip strength of an average human hand, allowing them to snatch heavy fish directly from the water's surface while maintaining flight speeds of 35 to 45 miles per hour.

The National Mammal: The American Bison (Bison bison)

On May 9, 2016, President Barack Obama signed the National Bison Legacy Act, officially making the American bison the first national mammal of the United States. This designation was the result of a years-long effort by a coalition of conservationists, ranchers, and Native American tribes who sought to honor the animal's historical and cultural significance.

Symbolism of the American West

The bison is an icon of the American landscape. For centuries, tens of millions of bison roamed the Great Plains, shaping the ecology of the grasslands. They represent a connection to the prehistoric past and the vast, untamed wilderness that early settlers encountered. Unlike the eagle, which represents the nation's sovereignty and international standing, the bison represents the nation's internal heritage and its deep roots in the land.

The National Bison Legacy Act recognizes that the bison is a historical symbol of the United States, integrally linked to the economic and spiritual lives of many Indigenous tribes. The bison's image has appeared on the "Buffalo Nickel" and is the central figure on the seal of the Department of the Interior.

The Biological Giant of the Plains

The American bison is the largest land mammal in North America. Its physical presence is imposing, designed for survival in the harsh, variable climates of the plains.

  • Size and Weight: A mature bull can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and stand six feet tall at the shoulder. Despite their massive bulk, they are surprisingly agile. Bison can run at speeds up to 35 miles per hour, jump fences over six feet high, and are proficient swimmers.
  • The "Red Dogs": Bison calves are born with an orange-red coat, earning them the nickname "red dogs." After about six months, their fur darkens to the characteristic chocolate brown of the adults, and they begin to develop their iconic shoulder humps and horns.
  • The Hump: The distinctive hump on a bison’s back is not for storing water or fat. Instead, it is composed of massive muscles supported by long vertebrae. These muscles allow the bison to use its head as a heavy snowplow, swinging it from side to side to clear snow and reach the buried grass during winter.

Bison vs. Buffalo: A Matter of Terminology

In North America, the terms "bison" and "buffalo" are often used interchangeably, but there is a distinct scientific difference. True buffalo, such as the Cape buffalo or the Water buffalo, are native to Africa and Asia. The North American animal is scientifically classified as Bison bison. Historians believe the misnomer "buffalo" originated from French fur trappers who called the animals "boeufs," meaning beef or oxen. While "buffalo" remains culturally ingrained in American English, "bison" is the correct biological and legal term used in the National Bison Legacy Act.

Conservation: A Shared History of Recovery

Both the bald eagle and the American bison share a harrowing history of near-extinction followed by unprecedented recovery. These success stories are the cornerstone of the American conservation movement.

The Bald Eagle’s Return from the Brink

In the mid-20th century, the bald eagle population plummeted due to habitat loss, illegal shooting, and, most significantly, the use of the pesticide DDT. The chemical interfered with the eagle's calcium metabolism, resulting in thin-shelled eggs that broke during incubation. By 1963, only 417 nesting pairs were known to exist in the lower 48 states.

The recovery of the bald eagle is a landmark achievement of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Following the ban of DDT in 1972 and rigorous federal protection, the population rebounded. In 2007, the bald eagle was officially removed from the federal list of endangered and threatened species. Today, there are over 300,000 bald eagles in the United States, a testament to what coordinated federal and state action can achieve.

The Bison’s Path to Survival

The story of the bison is even more dramatic. In the early 19th century, an estimated 30 to 60 million bison roamed North America. By the late 1800s, commercial hunting, westward expansion, and a deliberate government strategy to undermine the subsistence of Native American tribes reduced the population to fewer than 1,000 individuals.

The species was saved by a handful of private individuals, ranchers, and the American Bison Society, co-founded by Theodore Roosevelt and William Hornaday in 1905. The first successful reintroduction of a mammal species back into its natural habitat occurred in 1907, when 15 captive-bred bison from the Bronx Zoo were sent to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Today, approximately 500,000 bison live in the United States, though most are in commercial herds. About 30,000 live in conservation herds managed by federal, state, and tribal agencies.

Cultural Significance and Indigenous Connections

It is impossible to discuss the national animals of the United States without acknowledging their spiritual and cultural importance to Indigenous peoples.

The Eagle as a Spiritual Messenger

For many Native American and Alaska Native tribes, the bald eagle is a sacred messenger to the Creator. Eagle feathers are highly prized and used in religious ceremonies, dances, and traditional regalia. Federal law recognizes this significance through the "Sovereign Nations" eagle feather repository, which allows members of federally recognized tribes to legally obtain eagle feathers for religious use, a practice otherwise prohibited under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

The Bison as a Relative

For the tribes of the Great Plains, the bison was the center of the universe. It provided everything necessary for life: meat for food, hides for clothing and shelter, bones for tools, and sinew for thread. The Intertribal Buffalo Council (ITBC), a federally recognized tribal organization, now works to restore bison to tribal lands, viewing the animal not just as a resource, but as a "relative" whose return is essential for the spiritual and physical health of tribal communities.

Why Does the US Have Two Official Animals?

The coexistence of the bald eagle and the American bison as national symbols reflects a dual identity. The bald eagle represents the State—the formal, political, and legal entity of the United States on the world stage. It is the symbol of the government’s sovereignty and military might.

The American bison represents the Land—the physical continent, its history, and the enduring connection between the people and the natural world. While the eagle looks outward from the Great Seal, the bison stands firmly on the soil, representing the internal resilience and the complex history of the American interior.

State-Level Official Animals: A Broader Context

While the bald eagle and bison represent the nation as a whole, individual states have also designated their own official animals, often reflecting local ecology and history.

The California Grizzly Bear

California’s state flag and official mammal is the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis). Ironically, the California grizzly has been extinct since the 1920s. Its presence on the flag serves as a reminder of the state’s once-vast wilderness and the consequences of unchecked westward expansion.

The Texas Longhorn

Texas designated the Texas Longhorn as its official large state mammal. This animal is a hybrid of Spanish and English cattle, representing the state’s ranching history and the ruggedness of the frontier.

The Florida Panther

Florida’s state animal is the Florida panther, one of the most endangered mammals in the country. This choice highlights the state's unique biodiversity and the ongoing challenges of preserving habitat in rapidly developing regions.

By looking at these state symbols alongside the national bird and mammal, one sees a mosaic of American identity—one that is rooted in specific landscapes but united under the broad wings of the eagle and the heavy hoofbeats of the bison.

What is the difference between a national animal and a national symbol?

A "national symbol" is a broad term that includes anything representing a nation, such as a flag, a motto (e.g., "In God We Trust"), or a flower (the Rose). A "national animal" is a specific biological entity designated by law or tradition to represent the country. In the U.S., the bald eagle was a symbol for 242 years before it was officially designated as the "National Bird" by the 2024 Act. The bison, however, was designated as the "National Mammal" as its primary official title from the start in 2016.

How to convert your knowledge into action?

For those interested in these icons, visiting national parks is the best way to experience them in their natural habitat. Yellowstone National Park remains the only place in the U.S. where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times. For bald eagles, the Klamath Basin in Oregon and California or the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve in Alaska offer some of the largest wintering concentrations of these birds in the world.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about USA National Animals

Is the turkey an official animal of the USA?

No. Despite Benjamin Franklin's personal preference and his famous letter, the turkey was never officially adopted by Congress as a national bird or symbol. It remains a cultural icon, particularly for Thanksgiving, but has no official national status.

When did the bison become the official mammal?

The American bison was officially named the National Mammal on May 9, 2016, following the passage of the National Bison Legacy Act.

Is it illegal to own an eagle feather?

Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, it is generally illegal for individuals to possess, sell, or transport eagle feathers or parts. However, there is an exception for members of federally recognized Native American tribes, who can apply for feathers through the National Eagle Repository for religious and cultural use.

What is the scientific name of the American bison?

The scientific name is Bison bison. There are two subspecies in North America: the plains bison (Bison bison bison) and the wood bison (Bison bison athabascae).

Why was the bald eagle chosen?

The bald eagle was chosen for its strength, long life, and majestic looks. Crucially, it was also a species native to North America, distinguishing the new nation from the European powers that often used different types of eagles (like the imperial eagles of Rome or the Habsburgs) in their heraldry.

Summary

The United States celebrates its heritage through two official animals: the bald eagle, the National Bird, and the American bison, the National Mammal. The bald eagle, a symbol of freedom and sovereignty, was formally codified by Congress in 2024, reinforcing its 242-year history on the Great Seal. The American bison, a symbol of resilience and the Great Plains, was designated in 2016 to honor its cultural importance to Indigenous tribes and its status as a conservation success story. Together, these two animals represent the dual nature of the American experience—the political strength of the republic and the enduring spirit of the land itself. Both species serve as powerful reminders of the importance of conservation, having both been brought back from the brink of extinction through dedicated national effort.