Canada

Their presence underscores the dramatic return of a bird nearly pushed to extinction and of the improving health of Toronto’s sprawling green spaces and waterways.

Bald eagles, a bird perhaps more associated with the imagery of North America than any other fauna, are a rare ecological success story.

Once common throughout the continent – including in the area that became the city of Toronto – the bird was soon seen as a pest for settlers and farmers. Local authorities encouraged the widespread slaughter of the raptors, promising bounties in exchange for carcasses.

And although policies were later changed and protections were introduced, eagle populations continued to dwindle, especially in urban areas.