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--- bald_eagle [2023/07/11 05:06] – [IV. BALD EAGLE CONSERVATION] zookeeper
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 ===== I.     BALD EAGLE MORPHOLOGY=====
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-Bald eagles are, on average, 80 or so centimetres in body length, and weigh up to 6 kilogrammes, though many are lighter than that. They have a wingspan of about 206 centimetres, at a median, though this can be up to 244 centimetres. It is an unmistakable bird on the North American continent in its adult form – it has a distinctive white head and white tail feathers, a large yellow beak with yellow talons, which have three front claws and a back-claw – with much of the body being covered with dark brown or black feathers. As is the case with most raptors, female bald eagles are larger than are male bald eagles. The colour of the bald eagle, however, is not consistent with age. Young bald eagles are a brown colour, looking more akin to a golden eagle [which also occurs on the North American continent], though as they age they start becoming mottled with white feathers. The eye is typically yellow.
+Bald eagles are, on average, 80 or so centimetres in body length, and weigh up to 6 kilogrammes, though many are lighter than that. They have a wingspan of about 206 centimetres, at a median, though this can be up to 244 centimetres. It is an unmistakable bird on the North American continent in its adult form – it has a distinctive white head and white tail feathers, a large yellow beak as well as yellow talons, which have three front claws and a back-claw – with much of the body being covered with dark brown or black feathers. As is the case with most raptors, female bald eagles are larger than are male bald eagles. The colour of the bald eagle, however, is not consistent with age. Young bald eagles are a brown colour, looking more akin to a golden eagle [which also occurs on the North American continent], though as they age they start becoming mottled with white feathers. The eye is typically yellow.
 The underside of the wings of the adult bald eagle, unlike other raptors, is not significantly different in colouration to the above side of the wings. When in flight, bald eagles have their wings fully out-stretched as they soar – so that the bord almost forms the letter ‘T' from below. When preparing to land, or to catch prey, the eagle contorts so that its legs are stretched in front of its bent head – so that from the front it resembles the shape of the letter ‘Y’. Like other eagles, the soaring ability of the bald eagle is efficient to such a degree that flapping is rare.
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 ===== III.     BALD EAGLES IN HUMAN CULTURE=====
-Before its adoption as the emblem of the United States, the bald eagle was a creature of high importance to the native peoples of North America. Eagles were common in arts of the Native Americans, and in the Native American society, the receiving of an eagle’s feather was the highest honour of all. The Native Americans considered the Bald Eagle as being intimately connected to The Creator, who chose the Eagle as the leader, and as a messenger. The Native Americans saw how the eagle soared higher and saw better than any other bird in the area – in the religion of the Native Americans, they saw this as how it was closer to The Creator than any other creation. The Creator is said to take notice of when an eagle’s feather is adorned by a person, honoring The Creator like no other way. Amongst Native Americans, the eagle’s feather is to be treated with the highest level of care and respect – it should be stored safely in the home, and never be tarnished or damaged. Yet, the bald eagle was probably not the most coveted of all – not the degree as was that of the golden eagle.
+Before its adoption as the emblem of the United States, the bald eagle was a creature of high importance to the native peoples of North America. Eagles were common in arts of many, though not necessarily all, Native Americans, and in the many Native American societies, the receiving of an eagle’s feather was the highest honour of all. Many Native Americans considered the Bald Eagle as being intimately connected to The Creator, who chose the Eagle as the leader, and as a messenger. These Native Americans saw how the eagle soared higher and saw better than any other bird in the area – in the religion of many Native Americans, they saw this as how it was closer to The Creator than any other creation. The Creator is said to take notice of when an eagle’s feather is adorned by a person, honoring The Creator like no other way. Amongst such Native Americans, the eagle’s feather is to be treated with the highest level of care and respect – it should be stored safely in the home, and never be tarnished or damaged. Yet, the bald eagle was probably not the most coveted of all – not the degree as was that of the golden eagle.
 In the 18th century, about a century after the colonisation of North America by the Europeans, the bald eagle was printed onto a Massachusetts copper cent coin – the first coin printed to feature the animal. In 1783, three years before, the topic of the national emblem was discussed amongst people of high leadership. It wouldn’t be until six years later, in 1789, that the Bald Eagle would be adopted, as a symbol of courage and freedom. Not all proponents were supportive, however. Benjamin Franklin is known to have written -
 ‘//I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country; he is a bird of bad moral character; like those among men who live by sharping and robbing, he is generally poor, and often very lousy. The turkey is a much more respectable bird and withal a true, original native of America.//’
+{{ :waekennedy.png?200&nolink|}}
 Franklin’s sentiments carried little weight, however – and the bald eagle was quickly adopted as the emblem of the then 13 colonies that made up the United States. In the present day, the bald eagle appears on the Seal of the United States as well as the country’s Coat of Arms, as it has for over 200 years. President John F. Kennedy also thought highly of the Bald Eagle, and is known to have written to the Audubon Society –
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 In 1967, the Southern Bald Eagle was listed federally as an Endangered Species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 enlisted further protection to certain Bald Eagle populations, with other populations also gaining legal protection in 1978. In the year 1972, DDT would become banned as use of a pesticide. This would correlate with the increase once again in Bald Eagle populations. In 1995, it was federally moved from ‘endangered’ to ‘threatened’ status. In 2007, when it was estimated there were almost 10,000 nesting pairs within the contiguous 48, it was removed from the Endangered Species Act. As of 2021, it was estimated there are some 316,000 or so bald eagles within the contiguous 48 states. The bald eagle, thus, leads one of the best-known, and probably successful, stories of conservation success of all time. Today, the US Fish and Wildlife Service continues to work with federal agencies, non-governmental organisations, and native tribes to secure the species’ existence – and the bald eagle still enjoys federal protection under various acts which prevent the killing or trading of bald eagles, as well as preventing damage to their nests and eggs.
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+The Wenden Animal Encyclopaedia would like to thank especially:
+**The John F[itzgerald]. Kennedy Presidential Library.**