Wonderful book about the large and powerful birds of prey- eagles. I really like how this author writes, and thinks. I just wish there were more of his words on the pages for me (it wasn’t long enough to really satisfy). Surprising, how little is actually studied about eagle behavior, but this book informs the reader well with what there is (as far as I could tell). The first part is about eagles in body- their physiology, how they live, differences between the species and so on. More types of eagles than I knew existed. Majority of the book is about how humans have interacted with eagles. From pictographs and evidence in the fossil record (very scant), to ancient hunting techniques, to modern-day conservation efforts. I really enjoyed reading the chapters about eagles used in hunting- a long-standing tradition in Mongolia (there’s another film about a young person training his first eagle- after seeing and reading of Aisholpan, I have to try and find Kiran Over Mongolia) and also of the controversy face by modern eagle falconers in England, where it’s not as readily accepted. Lots about how eagles are revered in some cultures, and reviled or exterminated as dangerous predators in others- usually because they are accused of killing livestock, pet dogs or even children. The author even discussed the touchy topic of how many eagles have been killed by Native Americans for their feathers and bones used in religious practices. The author clearly thinks this is not in the best interest of eagles. What’s great about this book is the pictures- so many excellent photographs and fantastic artwork depicting eagles of many kinds, engaged in natural activities or alongside man. There are lots of quotes from other literature, about eagles or our opinions of them- sometimes this would bug me if I’d already read the sources myself, but in this case for the most part I hadn’t, so I appreciated instead.
Borrowed from the public library.
