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Article: The American bald eagle is back: Bald eagle population soars to record heights.
- Article from:
- The Lima News (Lima, OH)
- Article date:
- August 19, 2007
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 The Lima News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Brian Evans
Aug. 19--Many people might be surprised to learn Benjamin Franklin preferred the North American wild turkey to the bald eagle for a national emblem for America's great seal in 1782.
Perhaps to the benefit of those who enjoy turkey on Thanksgiving -- and perhaps to the benefit of the latest animal taken off the endangered species list -- a lesser-known founding father, Charles Thomson, 53, suggested the eagle -- an idea Congress quickly embraced before Franklin expressed his feelings.
Although Franklin thought the bald eagle was a creature of poor moral character, a "lazy bird" because it stole fish from the fishing hawk, ...