The bald eagle is the national bird symbol of the United States of America. With its snowy-feathered (not bald) head and white tail, it is unmistakable in the sky. But how did this regal bird end up with the name “bald” eagle? Read on to find out the origins of the bald eagle’s name and learn more about its history as a national symbol.
The Origins of the Name “Bald Eagle”
The bald eagle gets its name from an old English word “balde” meaning white, not hairless. The white head and tail feathers led early European settlers in America to call it the bald eagle. Let’s examine the history behind this naming.
In the late 18th century when European settlers were exploring and colonizing America, the bald eagle was abundant throughout much of the continent. Its white head made it easy to identify from a distance. The settlers, many of whom came from England, called it by a name they were familiar with.
The Old English word “balde” meant shining white, or having a white patch. It was used to refer to white markings on animals, such as a white forehead patch on a horse or a white patch on a cow’s head. “Balde” was derived from the Old French “bald” meaning white or pale. The settlers translated their “balde” adjective for the eagle’s white head into “bald” when referring to the American eagle.
By the mid-18th century, early naturalists and ornithologists researching North American birds came across the white-headed eagle the settlers called the “bald eagle.” They adopted the name in their own scientific writings about the species. Over time, bald eagle became the official and accepted name in scientific circles as well as popular culture.
The name bald eagle has led to some confusion over the years about whether the bird actually has feathers on its head. It does! The white head feathers gleam brilliantly in sunlight, leading the settlers to describe the eagle as “bald” or white-headed rather than lacking hair or feathers.
Physical Features of the Bald Eagle
Now that we understand the origins of its name, let’s look at the bald eagle’s distinguishing physical features:
- White head and tail feathers
- Dark brown body and wings
- Yellow beak
- Powerful talons
- Wingspan up to 7 feet
The white feathers on the head and tail contrast dramatically with the dark brown body and wings. This is why the bald eagle is so easily recognizable even from afar. The yellow beak and talons add striking accents to its appearance.
When it comes to size, bald eagles have wingspans between 5.9 to 7.5 feet (1.8 to 2.3 m). They weigh 8 to 14 pounds (3.6 to 6.4 kg), with females typically larger than males. The bald eagle dwarfs most other birds in North America. Only a few like the California condor and trumpeter swan match or exceed its size.
Where the Name “Bald” Eagle Comes From
By now we understand that “bald” refers to the old English “balde” meaning white, and does not mean hairless. But there is another layer to the name’s origins.
The Old English balde was derived from the Old French word balde and bard which also meant white or pale. This came from the Frankish Germanic word balo, balwaz meaning white or pale.
Additionally, some language experts suggest the Frankish balo was influenced by the Latin word ballum meaning white patch, mark, or stripe. The Latin ballum was the origin for “bald” when it referred to a white patch or marking on an animal.
Tracing the linguistic lineage of “bald” back through Old English, Old French, Frankish Germanic, and Latin, we can see how it referred to the white-headed appearance of the American eagle newly encountered by English settlers in North America.
How Its Name Could Have Been Different
If British settlers had encountered the eagle at a different period, its name today might not be “bald eagle.” In the late 16th and early 17th centuries when British colonization of North America first began, “bald” more commonly meant bare or denuded of hair or feathers.
If this understanding of bald had continued, early settlers might have assumed the white-headed eagle was lacking feathers! But luckily by the mid-18th century when the bald eagle became well-known, the earlier Old English meaning of “balde” as white prevailed.
Alternatively, if French colonists had first encountered the eagle, they might have named it “aigle epaules blanches” meaning white-shouldered eagle. French naturalist Charles-Marie D’Orbigny coined this term in 1839 while exploring South America, but by then the English bald eagle name was already well established.
German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin coined the scientific name Falco leucocephalus in 1788, meaning white-headed falcon. But scientific terminology didn’t replace the popular bald eagle name used by English speakers and writers.
The Bald Eagle as America’s National Bird
The bald eagle was officially declared the national emblem of the United States of America in 1782. It was chosen for its majestic beauty, great strength, long life, and because it was indigenous to North America.
Founding Fathers Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams hotly debated whether the turkey or bald eagle better represented the country. Franklin preferred the turkey, which he felt was noble but less prone to prey on others. He criticized the bald eagle as of “bad moral character.”
But the bald eagle prevailed as the official U.S. national bird. It appeared on the Great Seal adopted in 1782 and later graced many official badges, emblems and symbols. Bald eagle images remain closely tied to American government, identities and traditions today.
Early History on U.S. Coins and Symbols
The bald eagle first appeared on a United States coin in 1793 when it was depicted on the reverse side of the first silver half-dime piece. Later it was shown on the reverse of many other coins including:
- Quarter dollar from 1796 to present (except between 1804 to 1814)
- Half dollar from 1794 to 1947
- Silver dollar from 1840 to 1873 and 1978 to present
- Gold dollar coins from 1849 to 1889
Before the bald eagle, the first eagle design on U.S. coins was the small eagle depicted from 1793 to 1807. Being small, it was more Neoclassical in style than the large, bold American bald eagle design that came later.
In 1856, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis (who later became President of the Confederacy) declared the bald eagle the official National Coat of Arms. Adopted in 1782 after the Revolutionary War, the initial National Coat of Arms depicted an organic bald eagle design facing its right.
The Great Seal of the United States designed in 1782 displays a bald eagle clutching an olive branch (symbolizing peace) and arrows (symbolizing war). This iconic early emblem appears on the presidential flag and White House architecture.
Decline and Recovery of the Bald Eagle
During America’s first two centuries, bald eagles thrived in the U.S. and were revered as symbols of strength and independence. But in the mid-20th century, bald eagle populations suddenly plummeted.
Widespread use of the pesticide DDT after WWII poisoned the fish that eagles ate. Habitat loss also severely impacted their numbers. From over 100,000 eagles in the lower 48 states before 1940, the population sank to only 417 breeding pairs by 1963.
In 1967, the bald eagle was declared an endangered species in much of its U.S. range. The Endangered Species Act passed in 1973 protected bald eagles from harm and catalyzed efforts to revitalize the population.
DDT was banned in 1972. Captive breeding programs helped restore bald eagle numbers. By 2007, populations had recovered enough that bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list.
Today the bald eagle population has rebounded to over 300,000 birds across North America. The dramatic decline and successful recovery of the nation’s avian symbol remains an inspiring conservation story.
Significance as America’s National Bird
Why was the bald eagle chosen to represent the United States and what does it symbolize? Let’s examine the significance and meaning behind America’s national bird.
Characteristics and Symbolism
There are many reasons the bald eagle makes an excellent national emblem for the U.S. Its characteristics symbolize valued American traits:
- Strength – Large powerful bird that fiercely defends territories and nests
- Courage – Will boldly defend and attack animals much stronger than itself
- Freedom – Soars through the skies with tremendous speed and agility
- Independence – Fiercely independent bird that lives free of human constraints
- Excellence – Regal, beautiful, and majestic in appearance and behavior
In emblem art, cartoons and logos, depictions of bald eagles embody these symbolic meanings. The bird’s posture and behavior in the images reinforce concepts like independence, freedom, strength, bravery, dignity and vigilance.
Native to North America
Importantly, bald eagles are indigenous only to North America. Unlike robins or sparrows found throughout the continents, bald eagles inhabited only Canada and the United States (excluding Hawaii).
For newly independent America seeking its own identity, the uniquely American eagle was an ideal national bird to represent the new nation.
A National Icon
The bald eagle is closely linked to America’s national identity, independence and governance. Images of the bird are synonymous with U.S. government agencies, documents and monuments.
The bald eagle appears on most official U.S. seals, flags, banners, uniforms and logos. It can be seen on U.S. Customs uniforms, National Park Service signage, military badges, the president’s flag and executive branch seals. The bird is even featured on U.S. currency and postage stamps.
Few other national birds are so ingrained into a nation’s cultural symbols, artwork, and identity. The American bald eagle is now intrinsically intertwined with the United States’ national ethos and heritage.
Conclusion
So in summary, the bald eagle got its unusual name from the old English word balde and French bald originally meaning white or pale, referring to its bright white head and tail feathers. Early European settlers named the native eagle the “bald eagle” since it reminded them of white-headed eagles back home.
By a quirk of language evolution, bald later came to mean hairless, which created confusion over whether the eagle was featherless on its head! But its name was already well established by the late 1700s when it was adopted as the official emblem of America.
Representing strength, freedom, and independence, the bald eagle is the perfect national bird symbol for the United States. Despite near extinction in the mid-20th century, successful conservation has ensured this great bird continues to be an American icon today.