Where Eagles Soar

No, not a footall team or any other group of humans, but our nation's emblem, the bald eagle is back!

"It's a success story, something a lot of people have worked a long time to get to," said Keith Hudson, the state biologist mostly responsible for tracking the eagle's comeback in Alabama. "We didn't know what would happen or if they would ever recover at all."

But recover they did, and the news isn't just good for eagles. Communities with eagle populations have reaped the rewards as tourists flocked there to catch an exhilarating glimpse of these majestic birds.

"People come from all over wanting to see those eagles," said Mark Jackson, chief ranger at Lake Guntersville State Park, one of the prime spots for bird-watchers.

True, a chance to see some kind of obscure fish may not draw the kinds of crowds that eagles do. But the broader point is the same, whether we're talking about a nervous darter or a mighty eagle: There is value in preserving creation, even if the value isn't readily apparent to everyone.

Many factors share credit for the eagle's return. There's the Endangered Species Act, for starters. Also, the 1972 ban on the pesticide DDT, which was killing many of our feathered friends, helped the eagles get back on their talons. But a big part of the success must certainly be traced to the public's broad support for saving the eagles.

Some bald eagle facts:

The bald eagle has been down listed from an endangered species to a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Bald eagles have a wing span of seven to eight feet and can live up to 30 years.

The trademark white head and white tail do not develop until about five years of age.

Bald eagles can see prey from as far away as a mile and a half

There is more info available here:

http://www.outdooralabama.com/news/release.cfm?ID=373