Symbolism

It’s American Eagle Day! This observance was declared by former President Bill Clinton in 1995.

Whether it is on stamps, seals, or coins, the American eagle is a symbol of pride and patriotism! Bald eagles were actually brought back from extinction in the mid-1990s. Can you imagine not seeing the bald eagle perched on trees in natural trails?

Everytime I see a bald eagle in my neighborhood or on long walks with my little toy poodle, I am filled with a sense of admiration for the animal. Seeing the national bird out and about in nature is like seeing the American flag in an unexpected place. It brings a smile to one’s face and, if you’re my toy poodle, Feather, it brings an uncertain glance followed by a hurried walk. 

The cry of the American eagle, the classic, powerful shriek of freedom, is a voice-over. That’s right. American eagles do not sound like that. The menacing voice-over is brought to you by the red-tailed hawk. The red-tailed hawk is much smaller than the bald eagle, but its call has been adopted by Hollywood to represent the bald eagle. If you’ve never heard the difference in call between a bald eagle and a red-tailed hawk, please go look it up on YouTube. 

Nonetheless, with a slight embellishment, the bald eagle was able to make an impressive comeback and avoid extinction. With a little rebranding, if you will, the bald eagle is widely seen in our government documents, art, monuments, and coins to elicit American patriotism and awareness for the beautiful bird.