The Return of the Bald Eagle

Tucker has written an important update on the status of the bald eagle, guiding readers through the bird's precipitous decline from the 19th through the first half of the 20th century, before reporting the cheery news of its resurgence. Unfortunately, the story often suffers from a dry, fact-stuffed approach and too much ornithological discourse too soon. It's not until well past the halfway point that the author focuses on the drama of the eagle's perilous coexistence with humans, who respect it more as a symbol than as a living bird. A strong would-be starting point-``It spreads its wings on coins, dollar bills and federal documents.... Its veneration has been exploited to the point where it gazes at us from cigarette ads, beer cans and insurance company logos''-comes two chapters too late. By that time, one has read about eagles in cultures around the world and about the four main groups of eagles that encompass the world's 59 species. The author has done her research well-particularly in unearthing the story of Old Abe, the ornery bald eagle who accompanied the 8th Wisconsin Infantry into battle in the Civil War. But the contemporary struggle of the eagle needs to be presented as a point of reference for readers to be willing to accompany Tucker on her forays into history and cultural anthropology. The book's most valuable asset is the section titled ``Where to See Bald Eagles,'' which provides a detailed and encouraging survey of bald eagle hangouts in North America. (Oct.)