The scoop on eagles

[Gothmog]

This is a really old thread, but I have a question related to this topic but it's not important enough to start a new thread. So I'll just add this question to the ones above:

Why didn't the eagles drop the ring in... No, kidding. I'm not going to bring that one up... No, my question is this: in the 8th day after the fellowship left Lothlorien, Aragorn spots something in the sky and thinks it's an eagle. Legolas confirms that it is an eagle, a giant hunting-eagle. This makes them both worried and the following night they get attacked by orcs and for the first time the winged nazguls appear. What is the eagle doing there, far from it's normal habitat in the misty mountains? And is it more than a coincidence that the Nazgul appear the following night? The eagles are supposed to be almost neutral. Almost neutral as in not helping the good side too much but definitely not helping the dark side. Not interfering at all if possible. Is it possible that this eagle wasn't "neutral" and came to warn the fellowship? Or could it be an evil eagle?

Eagles are a symbol of Manwe and the good forces, so an eagle serving Sauron is quite unthinkable. But we now that he had other animals under control. Gandalf says something about many creatures serves him, both bird and beast. Is it possible to control noble beings like the eagles?

Unfortunately I don't have a copy of the books in English here right now so I can't provide any quotes. Quotes in swedish wouldn't help much I'm afraid...

[Thinlómien]

I don't think the eagles were maiar. (I have nothing to prove that, so maybe I shouldn't be saying that.) Or maybe Thorondor was, and so those who descended from him had a bit of maia-blood in their veins. Or probably not, because when speaking about the mightiest of maiar, Thorondor is never mentioned. So probably he is not a maia.

Gurthang, you have a good question. I don't think that the eagle was spying for Sauron; eagles are clearly portrayed to be against him. I don't either think that the eagle was to warn the fellowship; how would just flying over them warn them? (Well, Legolas and Aragorn got worried but...)
It just came to my mind that Gandalf mentions the eagle and says it was Gwaihir.

[luthien-elvenprincess]

Question by Gothmog:

What is the eagle doing there, far from it's normal habitat in the misty mountains?

Legolas spotted that same eagle just as he, Gimli and Aragorn were about to enter Rohan as they searched for Merry and Pippen. Later, when they met Gandalf again, Gandalf revealed that the eagle was Gwaihir the Windlord and that he had sent Gwaihir to watch the River.

[Himilsillion]

What are the things that the Nazgul fly? I have looked in the text the only thing that I have found that refers to their name is Flying steed. They are not dragons because they would be pretty much extinct by the time of the War of the Ring. Are these "flying steeds" eagles in the service of Sauron?

[The 1,000 Reader]

We just call the so-called Nazgul birds "Fell Beasts." I hope this clears things up.

[Voralphion]

Or probably not, because when speaking about the mightiest of maiar, Thorondor is never mentioned. So probably he is not a maia.

Just because he is not mentioned as a maia, does not rule out that he was one as only a few maia were ever mentioned by name. In the Valaquenta when discussing the creation of dwarves, it describes Yavanna going to Eru for something to protect the kelvar, and the ents were the result. I think it also mentions spirits being also sent to protect or watch over the olvar, ( I have lost my copy of the Sil and so cannot provide a direct quote), it is possible that these were the eagles, at least some of them.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Voralphion

Just because he is not mentioned as a maia, does not rule out that he was one as only a few maia were ever mentioned by name. In the Valaquenta when discussing the creation of dwarves, it describes Yavanna going to Eru for something to protect the kelvar, and the ents were the result. I think it also mentions spirits being also sent to protect or watch over the olvar, ( I have lost my copy of the Sil and so cannot provide a direct quote), it is possible that these were the eagles, at least some of them.

1) I think Yavanna asks for someone to protect the kelvar, because the olvar can fight back and run away, but the kelvar can't.
2) And even if she had asked, that doesn't make the eagles maiar. The ents aren't maiar either.