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America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

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Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#161

Post by fermienrico »

post_below wrote: post #128

As superpower mascots go, I think the eagle turned out to be pretty much perfect. Large, powerful, masters of their environment, noble from a distance. Up close, easily scared, shameless scavengers who love the opportunity to steal prey from other creatures. Note: No intention of starting a political conversation, as a resident of said superpower I just love the irony.

As superpower mascots go, I think the eagle turned out to be pretty much perfect. Large, powerful, masters of their environment, noble from a distance. Up close, intelligent, optimally utilizing resources through scavenging, leaving nothing to waste and who love the opportunity to provide to their young ones and benefit other creatures through symbiosis.

One can spin it whatever which way.

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#162

Post by fermienrico »

whyenot wrote: post #160
oasisbob wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Lower 48" is a term from Alaska, and predates Hawaii's statehood. ie, an updated version would be "Lower 49".

...but Alaska and Hawaii both became states at almost exactly the same time (January and August 1959). Maybe it makes sense if Alaska considered themselves a state in the years before they officially became one? Otherwise, there would be no need for the "lower" part.

It's practical to call the collective states with joint borders. For example, "Lower 48 shipping" on Amazon is different rate.

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#165

Post by Isamu »

rdiddly wrote: post #115

This seems as good a time/place as any to remind everyone that the sound an eagle makes isn't the screech Hollywood has made you believe it is (that's a red-tailed hawk). It's actually relatively non-macho (for a superpower's mascot anyway) and sounds like it's laughing. The hawk says: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/sounds The eagle says: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/sounds

Maybe unpopular, but I like the chuckling screech of the bald eagle. Also barn swallows, they kind of “talk” when they are relaxed.

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#166

Post by thaumasiotes »

steve_adams_86 wrote: post #122
bliteben wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I go birding in a spot near Astoria, Oregon and have counted over 70 individual bald eagles from one spot, some trees will have 20 alone perched in them.

According to national eagle center, "The average eagle needs between ½ and 1 pound of food each day.". So those animals are harvesting 35-70lb of food (other animals) per day. That's incredible to me! There must be so much life in that area. https://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/eagle-diet-feeding/

> So those animals are harvesting 35-70lb of food (other animals) per day. That's incredible to me! There must be so much life in that area.

I mean, you could almost certainly harvest more than 70 pounds of ants a day without making a dent in the ant population. Eagles can't eat ants, but "pounds of life" doesn't mean much.

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#167

Post by lostlogin »

mkl wrote: post #144
lostlogin wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish the Haast eagle was still around. They were just massive and hunted Moa. They were likely hunted by humans. I guess I should be careful what I wish for. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haast%27s_eagle

I think it's more that all the big birds the eagles hunted were hunted by humans. It wasn't just moa, the other big birds are gone too. E.g. search for New Zealand here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_gigantism

> Island gigantism, or insular gigantism

These are great terms. Thanks.

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#168

Post by dcanelhas »

umvi wrote: post #58
dcanelhas wrote: post #50

I felt compelled to voice my appreciation for the double-entendre of this title.

I would say the title is just using a plain old pun... "double entendre" usually implies there is a way to sexually interpret the phrase

Oh, I didn't know that! I thought the expression simply meant double understanding/meaning.

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#169

Post by smazga »

WalterBright wrote: post #123
rdiddly wrote: post #115

This seems as good a time/place as any to remind everyone that the sound an eagle makes isn't the screech Hollywood has made you believe it is (that's a red-tailed hawk). It's actually relatively non-macho (for a superpower's mascot anyway) and sounds like it's laughing. The hawk says: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/sounds The eagle says: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/sounds

I wish hollywood would make a few more recordings. They always use exactly the same one, every time they have a long shot of a wilderness scene. Movies, TV shows, documentaries, everything. It's worse than the Wilhelm Scream.

There’s also a stock audio sound for police radio chatter that is the same as the one in SimCity 2000. Every time I hear that (which is too often) I can’t help but think “well, you cheaped out on sound design"
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