The Sea Eagle

Writer: Mads Wolter Nielsen

28.02.23

The Sea Eagle

Dear reader

Today we continue the series of Yggdrasil’s spirit animals. This blog will be about the eagle, a magnificent bird of prey, with vital impact to every ecosystem that it inhabits. Every mythology has its own accounts of eagles, and Asatroen, or Norse mythology, is no different. 

Eagle is a widely and loosely used term for a large bird of prey. All birds that are considered eagles in Danish belong to the Accipitridae family, also known as the hawk family. All except the Osprey, which in Danish is known as the fishing eagle. The largest eagle to roam the skies in Denmark is the white-tailed eagle, we know it as the sea eagle. However, worldwide there are multiple species in the genus Haliaeetus, sea eagles, the largest of which, is the Steller’s eagle endemic to northeastern Asia.

Eagles are important moderators and scavengers in the environments they live in. Eagles are what is known as an apex predator, an animal so high in the food chain, it does not have any natural enemies. Apex predators are also known in biology as top-down regulators. This means, they regulate populations of other animals in their habitat. The population-species being regulated by an apex predator depends on the predator's preferred diet, but more importantly the abundance of a certain type of prey. Top-down regulators function to regulate the abundance of certain species, which is vital to maintain a high biodiversity.

Eagles typically nest in large, tall trees or on large rocks high above sea level. Because of its size, it needs fairly large sized trees to nest in. Due to deforestation and destruction of hunting grounds, the habitats of eagles can be threatened. This can lead to local population extinctions. However Denmark, and Europe in general, has seen increasing population sizes. In Denmark around +150 breeding pairs managed to successfully get 153 chicks on their wings.

At Yggdrasil Sanctuary, we feel very blessed to have the eagles soaring over the treetops. They are wondrous animals to behold, and they definitely help create the unique and awesome atmosphere that you can experience when you visit us. Other than serving as spiritual totems, the presence of the eagles tells us something about the state of the environment, and the amount of energy stored in the earth under the forest. 

Let me paint you a picture.

Think of the earth at any given location and picture it as a bank. the bank can grant out loans, but it is reliant on people paying back those loans. The earth is the same way, the energy stored can grant out loans to help trees grow, and supply them with energy to make food for animals and so on. But it is reliant on getting the energy-loans back when dead animals and fallen trees decompose on the ground. 

The more money a bank has, the greater loans it can grant. The more energy stored in the earth, the more tiers in the food chain it can sustain. The eagle's presence tells us, there is enough energy stored, and biological-economy flowing, in our habitat to sustain the highest link in the food chain. 

This is why, whenever we see the eagles flying over the treetops, we thank the earth for this blessing, and silently yell out “the eagles are coming”.

The Eagle totem

The eagles appear in many if not all mythologies. It is usually regarded as royal, stoic, majestic and free-spirited. In many mythologies the gods can transform themselves into beings at their whim, they do this sometimes, to visit the realm of humans, and sometimes just for their own amusement. Almost always the eagles are only transformed into, by the leader of the god from that mythology. So did the great Zeus transform into an eagle to court and abduct Ganymedes, and so too does Odin, the allfather, transform into an eagle to guide humans or travel great distances.

In the poem Vafþrúðnismál Odin travels to Jotunheim to challenge the great jotun Vafþrúðnir. He claims to be the most intelligent being in all the nine realms. Odin asks him about the origin of wind, he then tells Odin, “the wind is created by Hræsvelgr,” who is a giant jotun himself, taking the shape of a great eagle and with the beat of his wings, creates the wind.  

The eagle is symbolic of the spirit and soul. It is chiefest amongst birds and the grandest raptor to roam the skies.

If the eagle visits your dreams or enters your thoughts, it might be time to take a leap of faith and soar on the great winds of change. You can also channel the energy of the eagle if you are in need of maintaining focus and calm in your work life. Eagles are immensely powerful and confident birds and having the eagle as your totem or spirit animal, means you have the confidence in yourself, to achieve your goals.