The bald eagle, a symbol of the nation for over 200 years, returned from near extinction to become America's bird − officially − this week.

John Yang: Around 2010, as Cook was doing research for his book "American Eagle," he tried to nail down exactly when it became the U.S. national bird and found out that it wasn't.

Discover the powerful national symbols of the USA, including the Stars and Stripes, the Bald Eagle, 'In God We Trust,' and ...

Discover how the bald eagle became the national bird of the U.S. in 1782, symbolizing freedom and strength, despite ...