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

While it's been a symbol of the nation since its the early days, it took the president's signature on Christmas Eve to make it the our national bird.

The bald eagle is emblematic of America. It's on coins and bills, graces the Great Seal and inspired conservation efforts that brought the species back from the brink of extinction. Though it was first used as the national symbol more than 240 years ago, Congress had never made it official.