Alone in a vast wildlife refuge with little direction and no experience, a Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology student found herself responsible for a project of historical importance—to bring the Bald Eagle back from near extinction.

In Return to the Sky, Tina Morris, one of the first women to engage in a raptor reintroduction program, shares her remarkable story that is as much about the human spirit as it is about birds of prey.

In the spring of 1975, on the eve of the US Bicentennial, Tina was selected to reintroduce Bald Eagles into New York State in the hope that the species could eventually repopulate eastern North America. Young and female in a male-dominated field, Tina was handed an assignment to rehabilitate a population that had been devastated by the effects of DDT. The challenges were prodigious—there was no model to emulate for a bird of the eagle’s size, for one—but Tina soon found that her own path to self-discovery and confidence-building was deeply connected with the survival of the species she was chosen to protect. Ultimately, Tina spent two years playing “mother” to seven eaglets at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, east of Seneca Falls in New York. Driven by her passion, she discovered unknown reserves of patience, determination, and grit.

At a time when the mass extinction of bird species is a critical global topic, Return to the Sky reminds us how, with a mix of common sense, resilience, and resolve, humans can be effective stewards of the natural world.

About the Author: Tina received her graduate degree from Cornell University in ornithology and wildlife biology. Her research on Bald Eagle Reintroductions was conducted through the Lab of Ornithology and the project took place in Montezuma refuge, an hour north of Ithaca. She has presented at Montezuma and the Eaton Birding Society in Nov. 2024 and will be giving talks at the Lab of Ornithology and the Onondaga Library in May 2025 as well as the Rochester Bird Club in Nov.2025. The Bald Eagles she reintroduced in 1976-77 are now thriving throughout the Finger Lakes region and enjoyed by residents of Ithaca every day. TIna’s book tells their story of their disappearance and return, which all should be excited to hear.