In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus A mature bald eagle, with its white head and tail, is easy to recognize. The first time I ever saw one was in the fall of 1984 while driving with friends along the Mississippi River in northern Iowa. There we found an eagle perched in a tree. It could have been a huge photograph of our national emblem until it turned its regal head and looked down on us. No one spoke. Words were neither necessary nor sufficient. Now, I see this once endangered species almost any day of the year, soaring over my woods. The displays of courting eagles locking their talons high in the air, then descending in a series of somersaults, can still bring me to tears. During the early and mid-twentieth century, eagle populations plummeted. Shooting was a major cause, but even after receiving full legal protection, their decline continued because of the widespread use of DDT and other insecticides that made eggshells too thin to support incubating birds. With the banning of DDT in 1972, the species began a long period of recovery. Eagles breed at age four or five. They have long-term pair bonds. Mates may reuse and add to their stick nest for up to thirty years until it weighs well over a ton. Both parents incubate the two, sometimes three, eggs and feed the nestlings, which fledge at ten to twelve weeks of age. For several years, I have watched an eagle nest near my home. It is more than one hundred feet high in a white pine overlooking Duschee Creek, a designated trout stream. I have watched the adults soaring with their long wings held perfectly straight and have heard their soft whistles, which do not fit their large size. I have watched the parents sitting on the nest and bringing food to their young. I have watched mottled-brown nestlings exercising their great wings and venturing out on limbs adjacent to the nest. I dream of watching a first flight. Bald eagles are primarily fish eaters. When fish are not available, they will eat birds, mammals, and other creatures. They hunt by watching from a high perch, where they can see for long distances about five times more detail than humans can. When prey is sighted, they swoop down to snatch it with their talons. Eagles sometimes steal fish from other birds and frequently eat carrion. I have seen a dozen birds feeding on a dead animal in a farmer’s field. It is difficult to reconcile this sight with the majestic and fierce demeanor of the bird that symbolizes our country. I wish I could see a mature bald eagle again for the first time. Nevertheless, its surprising size, pure white head, and long, dark-brown wings holding it aloft with apparent ease will never cease to be a heart-stopping experience for me. 11 ...

Share