The bird of brown and white feathers has long represented the United States as a majestic and soaring symbol, but only this week did a law make it official.

The bald eagle is featured on American military insignia, currency, stamps and even the helmets of an NFL team. However, the government has never officially recognized it as the United States’ national bird—until now.

President Joe Biden signed a bill on Christmas Eve, designating the predator as America's symbol after it first appeared on a Massachusetts copper cent coined in 1776. However, the announcement was met with confusion as many Americans have believed that the bald eagle has always been the national bird.

The United States has used the bald eagle as a national symbol since George Washington was president. But it only became the national bird on Dec. 24, and only after a Minnesota man caught the oversight.

With the United States just making the bald eagle the national bird, here's what you need to know about them living in Pennsylvania.

President Joe Biden signed into law legislation sent to him by Congress that amends the United States Code to correct what had long gone unnoticed and designate the bald eagle — familiar to many because of its white head, yellow beak and brown body — as the national bird.

The bald eagle is on the United States' national seal. However, until Christmas Eve, it wasn't on the books as the national bird. On Monday, Dec. 30, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar joined a standing-room-only crowd at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha to mark the legislation she sponsored making the designation official.

President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan bill officially designating the bald eagle as the national bird of the United