Historical

For centuries, humans have been fascinated by birds of prey, especially Bald Eagles, in no small part because eagles evoke diverse feelings. For some, it’s strong sense of patriotic pride because the Bald Eagle is our national symbol. Because they are so large, they symbolize power, might, dominance and conquest in the animal world, and are thought of as being invincible. Others condemn Bald Eagles for their predatory powers and consider them an unworthy symbol of the United States because of their scavenging nature.

On June 20, 1782, an Act of Congress officially adopted the Bald Eagle as a symbol of the United States. The original seal of the United States shows the eagle with wings spread -- an olive branch in one talon symbolizing peace, and arrows in the other symbolizing might -- and a banner that states “E Pluribus Unum” (“from many are one”). This and many other images of the Bald Eagle pervade numerous aspects of life in the United States.

Cultural

Many Native American cultures prize the Bald Eagle for its strength and power. The Ojibwa believed that eagles served as intermediaries with the creator. They were also thought to be reincarnations of people that watched over the living and guided them in their day-to-day activities and ceremonies. In the Northwest, Native Americans reserved the top of totem poles for the likeness of the Bald Eagle, signifying its importance in their culture.

Many Native Americans hunted eagles to obtain feathers and bones. The Plains cultures held eagle feathers in the highest regard and sacred items took on added importance when decorated with eagle feathers. In some cultures only certain men could wear eagle feathers. Each feather was decorated to tell of the owner’s daring activities. For example, the Lakota used notches, dyes, and tufts of horsehair to show whether the wearer had counted coup (touched the enemy), been wounded in battle or killed enemies. Quite often, during battles, warriors would seek out enemies wearing many eagle feathers to prove their bravery.

Even today Native Americans use parts of Bald Eagles in their spiritual ceremonies. The use of eagle parts in this way is strictly regulated by the Federal Government and carefully managed to ensure that their use is not abused.

In the white settlers’ folklore, stories of eagles carrying off small children were rampant and only incited them to shoot and kill more eagles. In truth, a Bald Eagle is not able to lift and carry any more than 1/3 of its weight, which might amount to 3 or 4 pounds at the most.