Religious And Supernatural Significance of Eagles

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Eagles are known for the iconic imagery that accompanies them in the United States since they are the national bird, but this is also a creature that holds special religious significance in many cultures. Let’s look briefly at some of the ways eagles are depicted or seen by religions of the world.

Christianity

In the Christian religion, eagles are mentioned a few times in the Bible. They are referenced as being mighty creatures that people can aspire to soar like. They are also one of the four creatures mentioned in the books of Ezekiel and Revelation that have a place in heaven, near the throne of God. Their significance the has been debated for a long time, but there is no debating that they do hold some significance for the religion.

Native American Religions

It may not be fair to lump all Native American religions together, but we have to here for the sake of brevity. In several religions associated with Native Americans, eagles are seen as a sign of good fortune or as an indicator of a good place to build. Some Native American cultures regard the eagle as a messenger for the Creator, and that means they see the bird as being sacred, ascribing it more significance than in most other religions.

Roman

There isn’t much left of the ancient Roman religion, but the eagle iconography used by the United States gets it origins from Roman religious teachings. In the Roman religion, the eagle was scare, because it was said to have been important to the highest Roman god, Jupiter. The Romans would carry depictions of the eagle into battle with them, sometimes mounting an eagle on a pole, like the way the eagle is sometimes mounted on a flagpole in US customs.

Greek

Eagles were also significant in ancient Greek religious beliefs. It was said that the eagle was the patron animal of the highest god Zeus. That same god would sometimes transform himself into an eagle to do various activities on the earth among mortals, travelling in disguise. The Greeks thought of the eagle as important and even sacred as a result. Zeus would use the eagle form to abduct Ganymede in the ancient Greek writings, and numerous artistic depiction of this occurring have been found in Greek archeological sites.

Sumerian

The eagle was also important to the ancient Sumerians. They were some of the first people in recorded history, and the eagle was said to have carried the ancient magical king Etana into the sky and all the way up to heaven. There are some writings about the eagle and this particular event that were significant to the ancient Sumerians.

Eagles continue to be a source of inspiration and wonder for many cultures, and even though their religious significance is not as strong as it used to be throughout the world, they are still revered, protected by laws in numerous countries and seen as majestic, regal birds worthy of awe and respect.

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Basic Facts About Eagles – The Legendary Bird

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Eagles are magnificent creatures that are revered the world over for their impressive wingspans, regal behavior and intelligent hunting techniques. Here are a few facts about eagles you might not have known before.

Eagles are Super Strong

Did you know an adult bald eagle can lift animals like dogs, mountain lions and even deer high up into the sky as their dinner? One of the favored hunting tactics of the eagle is to ascend with their captured prey and then drop them from a great height, crushing their bones and rendering them lifeless- easy pickings for mealtime.

They Have Played a Significant Role in Several Cultures

Same indigenous people of the Americas have worshiped and revered the eagle in the past. The Aztecs saw the eagle as a holy sign where to build. If they saw an eagle land on a particular spot, they would choose that place to build a temple or other important structure, which is part of why many Aztec structures are perched so high up. Similarly, many Native American tribes looked to the eagle as a symbol of courage and nobility in their cultures.

Eagles Have Very Powerful Talons

Once a creature is in the grasp of an eagle, they are not likely to get out. Eagle talons can produce a whole lot of pressure, and the power of their talon attack is even stronger than that of a speeding bullet. Imagine being grabbed by something that strong!

Eagles Migrate Oddly

Avian migratory patterns vary by species, and the eagle has a very particular way in which they migrate each winter and summer. They always migrate to the exact same spots. Once they have found their favored spot, they will migrate there religiously, never choosing another in their entire lifetime.

Eagles Are Thieves

We think of eagles as being majestic birds that have noble behavior and a certain moral code about them. We ascribe through legend and tales the kind of behavior to eagles that we admire. What many people do not realize, however, is that eagles are often scavengers or thieves. They ae great at stealing fish from other birds, and they don’t mind rummaging through trash every now and then to find their food. Eagles might seem like noble creatures, but really, they are very opportunistic when it comes to food.

They Can Live for a Very Long Time

Bald eagles will mate for life, and those lives can be impressively long. Some bald eagles live to almost 40 years old, which is much older than most kinds of birds, making them one of the most long-lived animals on the earth.

They Make Impressive Nests

Eagles go big when it comes to building a nest. Some of them weigh well over a ton and take up a decent amount of space. The average eagle nest is a few feet wide and a few feet deep, and if the nest does well, the eagle may use it for consecutive years, adding to it as necessary.

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Cleaning A Bird’s Nest

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Birds nests are actually eaten as food in some parts of the world. In China and Indonesia, for example, the nest of the swiftlet is used to create a delicious soup that is said to be good for promoting youthfulness and extending a person’s life. In order to make the nest edible and safe to eat, it needs to be meticulously cleaned.

Any food manufacturer that makes bird’s nest soup will have an intensive cleaning process that their employees go through with the nests before packaging them for soup, and we want to tell you a bit about that process here.

Initial Cleaning

The cleaning crew will start by pulling out the obvious items in the bird’s nest that are not meant to be consumed. This means getting rid of feathers, dirt, sticks, leaves and other bits of debris that are not considered edible or safe to eat. The swiftlet’s nest is made from dried saliva, but anything else needs to be removed for the nest to retain its flavor and nutritional value and to be considered healthy to consume.

No Chemicals Should Be used

While it is possible to make the bird’s nest sanitary using bleach or some other strong chemical, this is a bad idea. Bleach can kill the flavor of the nest and tank its nutritional value. Of course, using the wrong chemicals can also make the nest unsafe for human consumption.

Any quality food manufacturer making bird’s nest soup will also avoid using any additives, as these don’t really increase the value of the soup. They can alter the traditional flavor as well, diminishing the quality of the recipe.

Detailed Cleaning

The next step in the cleaning process is to perform a detailed cleaning using a magnifying glass. The cleaning personnel will take tweezers or some other fine tool to pull out any remaining particles that should not be in the nest. This helps the nest to retain its pure, desired color and to be free of harmful contaminants. Under the magnifying glass, the cleaning personnel can see anything that they might have missed the first time. If they find that too many particles were missed in the initial cleaning, then they may send it back to the first cleaning person for a more thorough cleaning.

A Powerful Process

Reverse osmosis is used by most food manufacturers to clean the nest. This is the same kind of process used to filter water of its contaminants and make it safe for drinking, and it does a great job of pulling out particles that don’t belong in the nest. Reverse osmosis can be a lengthy and expensive process to perform, which is why bird’s nest soup can be so costly, but there isn’t a more thorough way to clean the nest and make it safe to eat.
If the nest is cleaned properly, it comes out pristine, with its natural color still intact, and potent flavor on offer that makes it such a desired dish.

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