We love our bald eagles here in Southwest Florida, whether they’re nesting in a neighborhood tree or entertaining us on an “eagle cam.”
And we’re lucky to have them so abundant and visible in North America now. Over the past two centuries, tens of thousands of bald eagles were killed because of their negative, often-untrue reputation as a livestock killer and baby snatcher. On top of that, the potent pesticide DDT almost wiped them out in the mid-20th century.
The remarkable story of their survival is told in the book “The Bald Eagle: The Improbable Journey of America’s Bird,” by Pulitzer Prize winner Jack E. Davis.
Davis, a history professor at the University of Florida for 20-plus years, will speak on Monday, Feb. 26, in the Nonfiction Author Series, presented by the Friends of the Library of Collier County at Hilton Naples.
The Nonfiction Series, which helps pay for activities at the Collier County Public Library system’s 10 branches, features a full buffet breakfast, followed by the author’s talk and a book signing. See the info box for ticket information.