Celebrated on 01/10/2026
National Save the Eagles Day, observed on January 10, was inspired by a young boy who wrote a letter to President Kennedy in 1961 asking to save the bald eagle. The holiday raises awareness about the recovery of bald eagles from near extinction, with their population rebounding from fewer than 500 nesting pairs in the 1960s to over 70,000 today.
National Save the Eagles Day was established on January 10, 2015, by the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) to honor the bald eagle's recovery and promote conservation. The date was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of a pivotal event: in 1961, a young boy named John Baker wrote a letter to President John F. Kennedy expressing concern about the declining eagle population. This letter helped spur the passage of the Bald Eagle Protection Act (later the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act) in 1940, which prohibited killing eagles. The AEF officially declared the day to continue raising awareness and support for eagle conservation.
Since its inception, National Save the Eagles Day has grown from a grassroots effort into a nationally recognized observance. Initially marked by educational programs and fundraising events at the AEF's headquarters in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the day now includes partnerships with zoos, wildlife centers, and schools across the country. Modern celebrations feature live eagle presentations, nest monitoring workshops, and social media campaigns highlighting success stories. The holiday also serves as a reminder of the bald eagle's delisting from the Endangered Species Act in 2007, thanks to conservation efforts and the ban on DDT in 1972.
Explore more celebrations, trivia, and quests on National Day Quest.