El águila calva (Falco leucocephalus)
1731-1743
Mark Catesby captured the raw power of America's national bird long before it was even chosen as a symbol. In this dynamic 18th-century illustration, a majestic bald eagle swoops down with talons outstretched, ready to snatch a fish right out of the water. Notice the curious outline of the eagle's head on the right—Catesby included it to show the massive scale of the predator compared to its prey. Published in his groundbreaking Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, this plate helped introduce European audiences to the wild wonders of the New World.