National Bird: The Bald Eagle

Believe it or not, the Fourth of July is this Friday! This week at The Jungle Store blog we will be learning about the national emblem and the official U.S. state animals.

Let's start with the best-known patriotic animal, our national emblem, the bald eagle. In 1782 the bald eagle found itself in this position thanks to its long life, great strength and majestic looks, and also back then it was believed to only exist on this continent.

It is said the eagle was used as a national emblem because, at one of the first battles of the Revolution, the noise of the struggle awoke the sleeping eagles on the heights and they flew from their nests and circled about over the heads of the fighting men, all the while giving vent to their raucous cries. "They are shrieking for Freedom," said the patriots.

The Great Seal (adopted in 1782) shows a wide-spread eagle, faced front, having on his breast a shield with thirteen perpendicular red and white stripes, and a blue field with the same number of stars.

To learn more about the national emblem, visit Bald Eagle Info.