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nBenjamin Franklin wanted the U.S. symbol to be a wild turkey who, he said, was intelligent and brave yet prudent (careful). Franklin thought the bald eagle had a “bad” character, since it was known to steal fish from people.
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nBasically, a bald eagle will eat just about everything and is opportunistic—in other words, it’s a perfect symbol for the U.S.!
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nEnough Congressmen agreed that the bald eagle was chosen as the national bird and symbol on this day in 1782.
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nLearn about bald eagles at National Geographic Kids.
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nDefenders of Wildlife has some ideas of how to help protect bald eagles.
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nHere are a bald eagle coloring page and jigsaw puzzle.
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