Book excerpt: Bald Eagles Their life and behavior in North America Photographs by Art Wolfe Text by Donald F. Bruning The bald eagle is America's national bird. Protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, this bird had made a steady recovery from near extinction. It is fitting for our heritage that Art Wolfe has devoted his photographic talents to capturing bald eagles on film. His large color photographs show the bald eagles from chicks in nests to adults in full plumage, including their mating rituals, their migrations, and, finally, their release into the wild after captivity. Donald F. Bruning's text covers superbly the scientific and ornithological aspects of the bald eagle; their habits in Canada, Alaska, and the continental United States; as well as the effects of the Fish and Wildlife Service and other conservation agencies to preserve and increase the species. Contents Eagle Myths and Folklore The Bald Eagle: Its Majesty and power An American Emblem Biology Behavior Conservation of the Bald Eagle