06/28/2025
On , we asked you about Ben Franklin's idea for a national bird. Everyone has heard the story that Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird instead of the bald eagle, but the truth is a bit more nuanced, and just as entertaining.
In 1784, Franklin wrote a private letter to his daughter expressing his disappointment in the bald eagle, which had just been chosen for the Great Seal of the United States. He complained the eagle had “bad moral character,” noting that it steals food from other birds and is often seen being chased off by smaller ones. In contrast, Franklin admired the turkey as “a much more respectable bird,” calling it a native of America and “a bird of courage” that wouldn’t hesitate to defend its territory—even against a British soldier!
In another line in the letter, Franklin criticized the design of the bald eagle on a medal for a group called the Society of the Cincinnati, saying it looked more like a turkey than an eagle. The Society of the Cincinnati was an exclusive organization of former Revolutionary War officers. Franklin didn’t care for it, he thought it was too aristocratic for a new democracy, and his comment about the bird looking like a turkey was likely a jab at both the artwork and the group itself.
So, did Franklin really want the turkey to be the national symbol? Not officially. His remarks were more of a sarcastic critique than a serious proposal. But thanks to that witty letter, and a turkey’s undeniable farmyard charm, the story lives on. 🦃🇺🇸
