This is Bird Note.

Legends say that some 600 years ago,

the Mexica people left their ancestral lands in a sland

to build a powerful new empire.

Their journey was guided by Wicheloposti,

God of the Sun in War,

who told the Mexicas to look for this sign,

an eagle perched on a cactus devouring a serpent.

For years they wandered what is now Mexico in search of that prophecy, until finally they

found the sacred bird on a tiny islet in the middle of Lake Descoco.

There, the Mexicas built a city, right on the water.

This was the Nostitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire, and for several centuries and civilizations afterwards, it continued to grow and transform into the modern metropolis we now call

Mexico City. Today, the Golden Eagle still purchased an unpricly pear cactus in the center of the

Mexican flag. Though the bird is immortalized in legend, real Golden Eagles now face threats

like habitat loss, collisions with power lines and wind turbines,

and poisoning from pesticides.

By 2016, scientists estimated that fewer than 100 breeding pairs remained in Mexico.

By protecting critical breeding ground and supporting raptor research, conservationists

are helping golden eagle populations bounce back across North and Central America, giving hope

that this powerful symbol will soar above Mexico's mountains for generations to come.

For a bird note, I'm Lucina Malesio.