Many Americans, including myself, have always assumed that the national bird of the United States was the bald eagle.

But it's not.

Or wasn't.

But wait, there's now it is!

The bald eagle received a title this week that many may have assumed it already had: the national bird of the United States.

For centuries, the bald eagle has been a ubiquitous symbol for the country, almost as recognizable as the American flag. The bird, with its bright yellow beak, long wingspan and beady eyes, has appeared at the center of “The Great Seal” of the United States since 1782, much to Benjamin Franklin’s ire because he considered it “a Bird of bad moral Character.” It has also been depicted on postal stamps, quarters and the insignia of most military branches.

But until this week, the bald eagle was only officially considered the national emblem. An act of Congress, signed by President Biden on Tuesday, declared the bald eagle, whose genus and species is Haliaeetus leucocephalus, “the national bird.”

Mandela effect? Or as the old saying goes... ???