After discovering that the bald eagle isn't officially designated as the national bird, an "eaglevangelist" in Minnesota is teaming up with Congress to address the oversight.
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By Frank Thorp V and Ryan Nobles
WABASHA, Minn. — You might think this wasn’t necessary, but the bald eagle is now one step closer to officially being named the national bird of the United States.
Late one Monday evening in July, after most senators had already left for the day, a unanimous motion passed in the Senate to formally designate the bald eagle as the U.S.’s national bird in the federal code.
“Without objection, it is so ordered,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., after Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., moved the bill forward with no one else in the chamber.
And just like that, the bill headed to the House.
While the U.S. code already recognizes the oak tree as the national tree and the rose as the national flower—and Congress voted in 2016 to designate the bison as the national mammal—until now, the bald eagle has not been officially named the national bird. That’s about to change thanks to one dedicated man.
The House passed the bill Monday night, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk. Once signed, this will solidify the bald eagle’s symbolic role in American history as one of Congress’s final legislative actions of the year.
The "Eaglevangelist"
The bald eagle holds a special place in Wabasha, Minnesota—a small community of about 1,500 residents along the Mississippi River, and home to the National Eagle Center. Known as the “Eagle Capital of America,” Wabasha is also home to one man whose passion for bald eagles is unmatched: Preston Cook.
Cook’s fascination began in 1966 after watching the movie A Thousand Clowns. One particular line stuck with him: “You can’t have too many eagles.” Inspired by the quote, he began collecting anything eagle-related. Over decades of collecting, his collection has grown to an estimated 40,000 items, which he believes to be the largest eagle collection in the nation.
“If it had an eagle on it, I’d buy it,” Cook said. “I may have gotten a little carried away, but I’ve loved the whole process.”
Cook’s massive collection includes political pins, paintings, magazine covers, playing cards, sculptures, Lego sets, eagle-themed bedazzled stilettos, and even ginger beer bottles. His collection eventually found a home at the National Eagle Center, thanks to its size.
While researching the bald eagle’s role in U.S. history, Cook stumbled upon a surprising fact: the country has never officially designated a national bird.
A Surprising Discovery
The omission came as a surprise to many at the National Eagle Center, who had assumed the bald eagle had already received this honor. Minnesota boasts the second-largest bald eagle nesting population in the country, after Alaska.
“Preston Cook brought that up to us years ago, and it was like, ‘Oh, come on, you’re kidding me,’” said Scott Mehus, the education director at the National Eagle Center. “I’ve been wrong all these years, and so has everybody else in the country.”
The bald eagle became a national symbol when it appeared on the Great Seal in 1782, shortly after the nation’s founding. While Benjamin Franklin and others debated the design of the seal, Franklin reportedly disliked the eagle, famously calling it “a bird of bad moral character.” He even suggested that the turkey might have been a better choice. However, historians believe Franklin was joking and never seriously proposed the turkey as the national bird.
A Simple Correction
Cook originally drafted the bill that eventually became law, a measure without money attached or any direct conservation efforts. It simply formalizes the bald eagle’s designation in the U.S. code with the line: “The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is the national bird.”
Cook’s initiative led to bipartisan support, with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and other senators introducing the bill to the floor. “They are the ones that came to us and said it’s not the national bird,” Klobuchar explained.
Although the bill has no practical impact, Cook views it as an important correction to history. “It’s just a correction in history to make things right,” he said.
An Eagle Collector’s Story
Cook’s passion isn’t just political—he’s been collecting eagle memorabilia for decades. His favorite item? The buttons he received when drafted into the Army during the 1960s, which are now sewn onto a blue blazer he wears often.
“I was issued these buttons on my dress uniform that has the great seal. Two years later, I got out, snipped the buttons off my military uniform, and I’ve been wearing them ever since,” he said.
While Cook cycles items through exhibits for children and visitors at the National Eagle Center, he jokingly admits, “Don’t tell my wife that I’m still collecting.”
“She’s very tolerant,” he said with a laugh. “Occasionally, she says, ‘You have too many eagles.’ I can’t argue with her on that one.”
It seems even an eagle enthusiast knows there’s such a thing as too many eagles—especially at home.
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