The EAGLE –

There is a powerful, beautiful book, Brother Eagle, Sister Sky – A message from Chief Seattle with paintings by Susan Jeffers that take your breath away…

The book is the resounding speech and words of Chief Seattle, one of the most brave and respected Chiefs of the Northwest Indians, as he was presented papers to sign by the new Commissioner of Indian Affairs for the Territory in the 1850’s… when the government in Washingon, D.C. wished to purchase the lands of Chief Seattle’s people.

The paintings that accompany the text are masterful.

Chief Seattle’s powerful words tell of the sacredness of every creature and every inch of land.  His words tell of his mother’s words, his father’s words and the words of his ancestors before them.

His words tell of every pine needle, every mist in the woods, every humming insect, the rocky crests and meadows.

His words tell of ponies, the buffalo, bears, dear… and the great Eagle.  These animals, he says, are our brothers.

He tells of the memories of his people and how these memories are held in the lakes, rivers, winds and meadow flowers.

He wonders what will befall the earth when every secret corner of the forests are destroyed by man.

He asks where will the thicket be?  Where will the Eagle be?

He says that we did not weave the web of life… but are merely a strand in it.

He asks that we preserve the land and air and rivers for our children’s children.

What we learn from the words of Chief Seattle is an eloquent and inspiring truth that many did not heed… and that we must revisit his words before it is too late for the land and air and rivers and the creatures like the great Eagle that inhabit it.

Chief Seattle refers to the Eagle as our brother.  But what is the real tweet-tweet on the Eagle in real-life ?  Here are a few little tidbits to pass along to your kids and grandkids to combine literature and life:

– The Bald Eagle, chosen June 20, 1782, is the National Emblem of the United States of America.  The Bald Eagle was given this honor because of its long life, its strength and majesty and because it was believed to exist only on the North American continent.

– The Bald Eagle is America’s National Bird.

– The word “bald” in Bald Eagle refers to its white cap.

– Eagles are birds of prey with keen eyesight, sharp talons, muscular legs and hooked beaks.  The female Eagle is larger than the male.

– There are 2 subspecies of the Bald Eagle:  The northern Bald Eagle found in the Northwest, especially Alaska; and the southern Bald Eagle found in the Gulf States and Florida.

– In the wild, an Eagle’s life span is 30 – 35 years.  In captivity, an Eagle may live 50 years.

– A fully grown Eagle has a wingspan of up to 7 feet and can fly up to 30 miles per hour.

– Eagles feed on fish, especially salmon, small mammals, waterfowl and carrion.

– Eagles mate for life and have been known to use the same nest for multiple years.

– Eagles’ nests, called eyries, can become very large, sometimes as much as 9 feet in diameter.

– The female Eagle lays 2 – 3 eggs.  Both parents incubate the eggs and protect them against predators such as squirrels and gulls.

– Adult Eagles are able to roll their talons into fist-like balls so as not to harm their babies.

– In 1782, there were an estimated 75,000 birds in the lower 48 states. Farmers considered Bald Eagles pests.  As populations of people moved west, the nesting territories and food sources of the Eagle were diminished or destroyed. By the late 1800’s, Eagles became scarce.

– In 1940, the Bald Eagle Act was passed and Eagle populations began to recover.

– Pesticide use in the 1950’s and early 1960’s contributed to reduction of Eagle populations.  In 1963, their numbers had fallen to 417 nesting pairs.

– Bald Eagles were officially declared an endangered species in 1967 in all areas of the United States south of the 40th parallel under the law that preceded the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

– In June 2007, the Bald Eagle was taken off the Endangered Species threatened list.

– Today, there are an estimated 10,000 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles.

Ah.  The Eagle in real-life.

Reading the book Brother Eagle, Sister Sky with your kids and grandkids, with a little knowledge of the Eagle in real-life, gives you so much to discuss… and your kids so much to think about as they embrace the literature.

The words of Chief Seattle and the beautiful paintings of Susan Jeffers give us a great opportunity to talk with our kids about history, different cultures, and the way nature is seen as sacred or not.

Chief Seattle’s words also give us a great awareness of our environment and the people who came before us… and inspire us to understand, to listen and to act with great respect toward the greatest and the smallest of creatures.

Join me here each day in August for AUGUST TWEET-TWEETS on 365 Days of Literacy for Kids! A little fun, a little learning and a bit of “tweet-tweet”!