Bald Eagle (Photo by Jessie Cohen)

Dr. Michael Robinson - Director, National Zoo

Glimpsing a bald eagle, with its snowy white head and tail and contrasting dark body and wings, is a sight not soon forgotten. Shortly after coming to Washington, D.C., as director of the Smithsonian's National Zoo, I spent an afternoon on the nearby Chesapeake Bay, an estuary with a lengthy shoreline that provides one of the continent's most important waterfowl breeding grounds and wetland habitats. It is also a unique habitat for crabs and oysters, a local delicacy enjoyed by the wildlife as well as human residents. Without doubt, the highlight of the day was spotting a bald eagle as it soared overhead, catching the updrafts of wind and gliding along the shore on the alert for any signs of prey that could satisfy the hungry mouths undoubtedly gaping in an eyrie not too far away.

The bald eagle is uniquely American-it is the only eagle found solely in North America and nowhere else. Its original range, before pesticides and humans decreased its population, covered almost all of the present day Canada and the U.S. Its omnipresence, coupled with the eagle's reputation for boldness and alertness, make it quite appropriate that the bald eagle was chosen as the symbol of the U.S. and given a prominent position on the Great Seal.

The National Zoo has exhibited bald eagles almost since we were established in 1889. In 1916 our most famous bald eagle was donated by President Wilson. The bird, named Jerry, became the world's most photographed eagle. He lived here until 1942 and his image served as the model for the eagle on World War II defense posters.

Two of our bald eagles now living at the Zoo arrived here in October, 1982, as a gift from the Federal Republic of Germany. They were presented by then-chancellor Helmut Schmidt in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the Great Seal of the U.S.