Bald eagle soars off endangered list

Bald eagle soars off endangered list. Also read: Bald Eagles No Longer Endangered, U.S. Says

Today there are nearly 10,000 bald eagles in the contiguous 48 states, compared to a documented 417 in 1963 when the bird was on the verge of extinction everywhere except in Alaska and Canada where it has continued to thrive.

The eagle is my favorite bird. I am extraordinarily fascinated by them. Look at these pics. Aren’t they magnificent?

All pics are from www.baldeagleinfo.com.

Here is some interesting info:
The bald eagle was chosen June 20, 1782 as the emblem of the United States of American, because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks, and also because it was then believed to exist only on this continent. Incidentally, while the eagle has been officially recognized as America's national bird, there have been dissenters who feel the bird was the wrong choice. Benjamin Franklin wrote:

I wish that the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country, he is a bird of bad moral character, he does not get his living honestly, you may have seen him perched on some dead tree, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the labor of the fishing-hawk, and when that diligent bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to its nest for the support of his mate and young ones, the bald eagle pursues him and takes it from him.... Besides he is a rank coward; the little kingbird, not bigger than a sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the district. He is therefore by no means a proper emblem for the brave and honest. . . of America.. . . For a truth, the turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America . . . a bird of courage, and would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British guards, who should presume to invade his farmyard with a red coat on.

The TURKEY? Just so that we are on the same page, and there is absolutely no room for error, this is the bird Benjamin Franklin is talking about.

Sigh...

For more pictures and info on the Bald Eagle check this link.