Did you know that in the United States, there is a national holiday that is celebrated every day? While this may sound strange, it is true! The causes for celebration vary greatly and range from Christmas to random events such as National Shrimp Day.

June 20th is recognized as National American Eagle Day. According to nationaltoday.com, American Eagle Day is set aside to celebrate the United States’ national symbol as well as raise awareness about the bald eagle to preserve the bird's natural habitat. The holiday is meant to educate others about the birds' importance, and to explore ways to ensure that the Eagles continue to thrive for decades to come.

The site also notes that in the 1950s, the bald eagle was at serious risk of becoming extinct. Loss of natural habitat, hunting, and the use of pesticides that damaged eggs caused the population to massively decline. The bird was classified as endangered in the U.S. in 1967. The bird went on to become a prime success story of the Endangered Species Act. The bald eagle began to repopulate and thrive. In 1995, it was moved from the national endangered species list to the national list of threatened species which was considered major improvement! As of 2007, the bald eagle is no longer considered threatened and has a healthy population level.

National American Eagle Day was founded by the American Eagle Foundation, which is a Tennessee-based organization that is focused on protecting bald eagles and their fellow birds of prey. Bald eagles usually live near large bodies of water, as they mostly eat fish. They are known for their beauty and grace when they soar through the air. They have been known as a treasured symbol of the United States since the 1700s.

Some of the ways that National American Eagle Day is observed include watching the D.C. Eagle Cam, a live stream that allows anyone in the world to watch two bald eagles living in the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., visiting a local zoo to see eagles in person, and volunteering with preservation/conservation efforts.