I remember my first eagle ceremony when I turned nine. The first eagle you get is always declawed, which I always thought was pretty inhumane, but it was a good way to ease into caring for the birds. My eagle (named Baldy, because I wasn’t a terribly clever child) was already quite old when I received him (he was a rescue eagle, luckily) but I did have him until I was 16. I don’t know if I was more excited about getting my drivers license that year, or my new eagle! You should have seen the party we had when I got him, too! Grilled hot dogs and fire works and lemonade…. obviously I named my beautiful new eagle Freedom. He’s too big to keep inside anymore, unfortunately, but we’ve got a pretty comfortable roost for him on our apartment’s balcony.

Ah, yes, the eagle ceremony! My Justice and I remember his quite well. (They had just come out with telepathic link transplants when I got him, which is how I know he remembers it.) Our celebration was quite modest, compared to Freedom’s—apple pie under a cloudless summer sky as we signed our Declaration of Interdependence. I still have the inked and talon-pierced document hanging on my wall.

what is this 

Get out Canada

I was so scared during my pet eagle ceremony I almost threw up. But Stonewall Jackson and I have been best friends ever since. My dad and grandfather built a really massive roost behind the house for my eagle and my sisters’ eagles. Stonewall always waits for me when I get home from class since schools are getting so over protective and strict these days and won’t allow eagles indoors. Which just goes to show how much we’re bubble wrapping kids today. Back in the day, if you couldn’t handle a few stitches because you pissed off the wrong kid’s eagle, you had to just man up and learn your lesson!

Ooo, I never miss a chance to tell this story! I had a rather unusual first eagle ceremony. The traditional giant American flag that you wave around to summon your eagle had been severely damaged the week prior (a ceremony that had not gone according to plan, but the child only suffered minor talon wounds. The flag took the brunt of the attack).  Anyway, I couldn’t use the normal flag so we had to search ALL OVER for one suitable for eagle summoning. Unfortunately the stripes weren’t the correct shade of patriotic red so everyone was worried an eagle wouldn’t show up at all.  I had to stand in the middle of that wheat field, the wind creating amber waves out of it, shaking that flag in the air for over three hours.  Everyone was just about to give up when suddenly Patriot appeared out of nowhere!  He came to me so quickly it was like he was apologizing for being late.  And we’ve been together ever since.

Oh, I loved the eagle ceremony! Mine wasn’t special to say the least, but I did end up naming my eagle Liberty. My nephew will have his own eagle ceremony soon, I’m super excited. Maybe his eagle and mine can be best friends? Oh, I sure hope so. That’d be cool!

Honestly, I think the eagle ceremony is the best part of growing up in the states. I remember getting my first eagle. Feathers was my first friend. He had a bad wing but he kept trying to fly no matter what he did. I would help him and we even made him a little perch with stairs. He taught me a lot. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss my eagle. My parents are looking to get me another one. Oh, I hope they hurry up!!

The eagle tradition is one of the things that really makes me proud to be an American. Receiving my first eagle was one of the proudest moments of my life. Mine took place on the shore, as is common around here. I swear, the sight of my eagle soaring over the ocean, it’s majestic frame eclipsing the sunset, move me to tears. To this day Virtue and I are almost inseparable. I was so glad when all my siblings finally reached the age they could receive one of their own. We ended up building a roost in the backyard where they could reside. Really brings back memories.

wow! you people had such great eagle ceremonies!! i was so happy when i got mine, his name is Uncle Sam, and he’s so very dear to me. my ceremony was soo fun with fireworks and hamburgers underneath the starry night sky. His brown and cream colored feathers bathed in red and blue was a sight to behold. And it’s my most treasured memory when he first flew into my life and hopefully he will never leave me. 

My first eagle was called Steve. I know, I was a bit obsessed with the Avengers at the time. He had the strongest talons you ever saw. He would bring me these starlings, like, every other day or so. I would just be like, “no, you eat it.” And he would cock his head at me in that way like “What are you, stupid?”