The '''bald eagle''' (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a large bird of prey native to upper North America, and the national [[bird]] of [[United States of America|America]]. The eagle was chosen by the [[Founding Fathers]] in 1782, and was placed on the national emblem. According to [[John F. Kennedy]], "The Founding Fathers made an appropriate choice when they selected the bald eagle as the emblem of the nation. The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolizes the strength and freedom of America."<ref>http://www.homeofheroes.com/hallofheroes/1st_floor/flag/1bfc_eagle.html</ref> It was also chosen because of its uniqueness to [[North America]].<ref>http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/symbols/eagle.html</ref>
Reduced severely in numbers due to pesticides in the environment, the bald eagle was placed on the [[Endangered]] Species List in 1967; it recovered sufficiently to be re-classified as threatened in 1995. In 2007 it was removed from the list altogether. However, due to its status as the national bird it is still subject to special protection.
==Description==