The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123 ( 2 ): 418 - 427 , 2011 
Ornithological Literature 
Robert B. Payne, Book Review Editor 
THE EAGLE WATCHERS: OBSERVING 
AND CONSERVING RAPTORS AROUND 
THE WORLD. Edited by Ruth E. Tingay and 
Todd E. Katzner. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 
New York. USA. 2010: 256 pages, 14 color 
photographs, 29 halftones, 1 chart/graph, and I 
table. ISBN: 978-0-8014-4873-7. S29.95 (cloth).— 
This is a rich collection of creative non-fiction 
essays from a rather reclusive group of people who 
are typically limited to publishing purely scientific 
material: field researchers who study eagles. The 
editors, Ruth Tingay and Todd Katzner, have at 
least 30 years of field experience with birds of prey 
between them and additional experience in the field 
with other species. Likely through their associa¬ 
tions with or positions of leadership in The 
Peregrine Fund, Hawk Mountain, and the Raptor 
Research Foundation, they have identified some of 
the most committed, adventurous, and surprisingly 
well-written eagle researchers. They also selected 
an impressive diversity of 24 eagle species 
including some of the most elusive (Madagascar 
Serpent Eagle. Eutriorchis aslur. and New Guinea 
Harpy [Papuan] Eagle. Harpy apsis nnvaeguineae), 
and the most highly endangered (Philippine Eagle, 
Pithecophaga jefferyi ), as well as the most 
commonly seen (Golden Eagle. Aquila chrvsaetos, 
and Bald Eagle, Haliaeems leucocephalus). 
The term “eagle'* that unites the chapters is 
used in the broadest sense, including birds from 
several different subfamilies of the Accipitridae: 
sea eagles, snake eagles, booled eagles, hawk- 
eagles. harpy eagles. Old World vultures, and sub- 
buteos. The book opens with a clearly written 
chapter by the editors on eagle diversity and 
phylogeny, which serves the purpose of clarifying 
the now known non-monophyly of “eagles," vet 
still relies heavily on traditional classification that 
groups birds with similar ecology, behavior, and 
morphology (e.g., “Harpy Eagle Group*' includ¬ 
ing Harpy Eagle [ Hurpia harpyja\. Crested Eagle 
[Morplmus guianensis]. New Guinea Harpy 
Eagle, and the unrelated Philippine Eagle). The 
introduction, in addition to eagle diversity, also 
briefly describes general eagle ecology including 
diet, foraging behavior, habitat requirements, 
breeding behavior, and migration. Finally, threats 
to eagles are addressed, including direct mortality 
from shooting, trapping, poisoning, and collisions, 
and indirect mortality from habitat and climate 
change. 
A species description is on the first page of 
each chapter including common, scientific and 
other names; IUCN conservation status and 
population trends; a physical/visual description: 
physical size; threats; geographic distribution; 
movements; habitat; diet; and other notes. The 
need for protection of many of the eagle species is 
echoed within the chapters as the writers tell of 
first-hand experience with study birds being shot 
(c.g., White-bellied Sea Eagle. Haluieetus leuw- 
gaster , Chapter 21); habitat destruction, including 
nesting trees being felled (e.g., Madagascar 
Serpent Eagle, Chapter 6); and, unexpected 
assistance (e.g., loggers building a tree blind for 
study of the Philippine Eagle while felling many 
neighboring trees, Chapter 25). An appendix 
charts the IUCN conservation status of all of the 
world's eagle species (another 51 species for a 
total of 75), although without the useful added 
information about population trends in the species 
descriptions at the beginning of each chapter. 
Given the conservation focus of the book, 
appropriately, all royalties are being donated to 
two leading nonprofit organizations for raptor 
conservation: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Intern 
Program and the National Birds of Prey Trust. 
Each chapter, except the Introduction, begins 
with a species description and is followed by oik 
or more essays written by a researcher with first¬ 
hand knowledge of the species as well as a 
biography of the eagle researcher. Unfortunately, 
although maybe intentionally, the photographs of 
the researchers are halftones that leave many of 
the subjects more obscured than if a photograph 
had been omitted in the first place. In contrast, the 
color photographs are as unique and illustrative as 
the chapters, giving close-up views of the Solitary 
Eagle ( Harpyhaliaetus spp.). Steller’s Sea Eagle 
(Haliaeetus pelagicus), and the Eastern Imperial 
Eagle (Aquila heliaca) among others. 
It is not clear how the chapter sequence is 
organized, certainly not phylogenetically or g e0 ' 
graphically. Some chapters emphasize the utility 
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