The Bird of Washington! Great American Sea Eagle.
1827
About this artwork
A hand-colored aquatint engraving depicting a Great American Sea Eagle (Falco Washingtoniensis), published as Plate 11 in John James Audubon's monumental work, The Birds of America. The bird is shown in profile, perched firmly on a rock, with yellow talons clutching the stone.
Did you know?
John James Audubon controversially identified the "Bird of Washington" as a new species of eagle in 1827, even naming it Falco Washingtoniensis after George Washington. However, it is now widely believed that this magnificent bird was actually an immature Bald Eagle in a transitional plumage stage, never a distinct species. This grand, solitary depiction remains a testament to Audubon's pioneering spirit and his era's scientific curiosities.
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The Bird of Washington! Great American Sea Eagle.
John James Audubon, 1827
