[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Mansun

The battles fought in the North were of far less importance to Middle Earth than the survival of Minas Tirith. The scale of the army heading from Mordor to Gondor would also have been far greater than anywhere else. Plus we add the fact that the Eagles had already appeared in the Battle of Five Armies of their own accord. They would have served as an excellent shield to fend off the Nazgul if deployed by Gandalf. He would have had plenty of time to send messengers to gain the support of the Eagles. They are also loyal to him when called.

Originally Posted by Raynor

I agree that, in the general sense, the eagles would and should not come to a battle simply because it is fought. However, I believe that the importance of the city of Minas Tirith, as the foremost bastion of resistance, and its battle, is far higher than any other, at that time. Even if the hobbits prevailed, the forces of the West would have an incredible challenge ahead of them if the armies of Mordor already commanded Minas Tirith.

Your posts then make one say: If so, then, why did not the Eagles arrive to Minas Tirith? And that's what the original question was. This proves what I said, that on their own initiative the Eagles did not have the intention to come. At Erebor, we are told that they joined the battle because they wanted to stop the orcs (or goblins).

Originally Posted by Hobbit, Chapter 18, The Return Journey

The Eagles had long had suspicion of the goblins' mustering; from their watchfulness the movements in the mountains could not be altogether hid. So they too had gathered in great numbers, under the great Eagle of the Misty Mountains; and at length smelling battle from afar they had come speeding down the gale in the nick of time.

And as I said, during the War of the Ring, there were plenty Orcs on the North as well, and whether or not the battle at Pelennor was the greatest of all the battles fought, the others were also important. So, there are technically two possibilities: either the Eagles had some stuff to do on the North (let's say patrol first and mainly the area that was closer to their homes, or guard the Mountains if the mountain-orcs do not make advantage of the situation and cause some trouble when the attention is focused elsewhere), or they were passive and Gandalf (whose call they heeded) simply did not contact them. From what I quoted earlier, I think the first is more probable. Once again, I don't deny that the battle of Minas Tirith was the most important of the battles fought, but as far as we know, the Eagles always come when they are needed, and this time they simply did not come. Ergo, the need was not that high this time. And I don't think Gandalf's invitation had anything to do with that - in the Battle of the Five Armies, they arrived and Gandalf did not play any role in it; the same at Morannon. Gwaihir himself says that he was meant to carry messages, not burdens, though he does not mean that as complaining; and coming to battle with all of your offspring is something even more. One has to notice this thin line of, how to call that, "politeness" on both sides. I believe he would arrive if Gandalf asked for it, but Gandalf himself probably would not dare to ask that of his friend. Maybe if the need was indeed high. But again, apparently it was not. Gandalf's hope (concerning Minas Tirith) were the Rohirrim and mainly Aragorn, not some eagles.

EDIT: X-posted with Boro, and I see we nicely complete some of the points together.