An intense drama unfolds at the end of the day on the Serengeti Plain. A tawny eagle father scouts for prey to feed his young chick back at the nest. As the sun begins to set, the daytime animals become inactive and invisible. After several close calls, the father has yet to secure the needed food. In the blaze of the setting sun, nighttime creatures begin to emerge, and still the father hunts. From a bird’s-eye view, the refuge at the Serengeti National Park is teeming with wildlife large and small. Hazy illustrations in watercolor and colored pencil depict the energy of the eagle’s hunt and the diversity found in the park. Four-line rhyming stanzas capture the emotion and action of the hunt, which eventually concludes with success. (Ages 5–8)

Tired hunter, must succeed.
Baby hungry mouth to feed.
Flying eagle, soaring high.
Blazing sunset, crimson sky.

The sun is setting, and the weary tawny eagle continues to soar and search over the vast Serengeti Plain. He has been hunting all day, and he will not stop until he finds food for his young chick. As the sky darkens and nighttime approaches, predators and prey emerge on the land below. Hippos lounge, cobras slither, lions prowl, zebras gallop, rhinos graze, dik-diks scurry—and still the eagle searches.

Poetic text and stunning illustrations depict a father tawny eagle on his evening flight. Back matter provides additional information about the tawny eagle and the Serengeti Plain. FLYING EAGLE is an intriguing introduction to the African landscape of the Serengeti, which is rich in wildlife but in danger of being damaged by poachers.