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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

#221

Post by noisy_boy »

nickff wrote: post #187
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.

Most powerful Western countries have used eagles as a symbol for over a thousand years, probably as a way of emulating the Roman Empire. The USA is hardly unique in this choice, but America did select a local eagle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquila_(Roman)

Egyptians had eagles too - e.g. the doorways to the tomb of Ramesses VI[0] has eagles painted[1]

[0]: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=NeiMEZa9d93&mls=1

[1]: https://imgur.com/a/pIiFdBu

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#222

Post by TameAntelope »

NDizzle wrote: post #14

I just moved back to Arkansas after being in California for 20 years. Here's a picture a local took along AR highway 59. 7 bald eagles hanging out. https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/155912289_4304... I have some good shots of one eating breakfast behind my house as well. Kind of gory though.

There are bald eagles around here?! Very cool, will have to keep an eye out (howdy from Cave Springs).

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#223

Post by KorematsuFred »

When I had come to USA I had only heard about bald eagle and never seen one. San Diego Safari park had one caged bald eagle which had hurt its beak and wings so badly that it could only survive in Captivity.

It was a holy F** moment for me as the bird was damn majestic and lot larger and intimidating than what I would expect from a bird.

Garuda - the hindi word for Eagle, is often described as the vehicle of Lord Vishnu, one of the powerful Hindu Gods. Bald Eagle would be perfect match for that job.

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#224

Post by lacker »

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

Oh wow, I was biking in the Berkeley/Oakland hills recently and was surprised to hear what I thought was a clear eagle call, because I never see eagles around but I frequently see red-tailed hawks. It all makes sense now!

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#226

Post by globular-toast »

asdff wrote: post #218
wirrbel wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am always reminded of this meme https://img.ifunny.co/images/70898eeb8bc2323e320aca74b03bb9a... "Basically a glorified seagull"

Honestly, seagulls are huge birds too. Male bald eagle has about the same wingspan as a seagull (5-6 feet).

Herring gulls also live for 30-40 years.

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#227

Post by globular-toast »

wirrbel wrote: post #84
wiredfool wrote: post #6

Bald Eagles are HUGE. You don't realize it until one drops out of a tree near you and flies off. Either that or you see them feeding on road kill deer.

I am always reminded of this meme https://img.ifunny.co/images/70898eeb8bc2323e320aca74b03bb9a... "Basically a glorified seagull"

So it's basically "my bird could beat up your bird".

In the UK our national bird is the Robin :)

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#228

Post by thaumasiotes »

lasc4r wrote: post #183
MarkSweep wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was going to reply that “it could be worse: Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird”. But some research says he did not say exactly that, rather he said “ the Turkey is in Comparison [to the bald eagle] a much more respectable Bird” https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/american-myths-b...

Eagles eat the dead cows on our farm. As I understand it from 1 minute of google searching Turkeys do not partake of dead flesh. Much more gentlemanly if you ask me.

You know, one major reason we raise cows is so we can eat their dead flesh.

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#229

Post by throwanem »

fermienrico wrote: post #220
throwanem wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, I agree. I stopped respecting bald eagles after the first time I watched one harass an osprey into dropping the fish that she had actually worked to catch, in order to steal it and eat without going to any real effort. You don't need to see an osprey fishing but once to recognize that they work hard for a living, and I've seen that more times than I can count. Bald eagles are just big lazy thieving bullies and I…

You might as well just scratch the entire animal kingdom off your favorites list, you're not going to like it very much.

...he said, to a wildlife photographer.

Re: America’s bald eagle population continues to soar

#230

Post by wirrbel »

asdff wrote: post #218
wirrbel wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am always reminded of this meme https://img.ifunny.co/images/70898eeb8bc2323e320aca74b03bb9a... "Basically a glorified seagull"

Honestly, seagulls are huge birds too. Male bald eagle has about the same wingspan as a seagull (5-6 feet).

If you look up the numbers the Wedge Tail Eagle has the same wing span as the bald eagle.
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