Orcs on both sides

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

It is really notable to point out that there were probably for example evil Eagles on Morgoth's side, but unusual as it is, it is not unimaginable - first, one can easily imagine some individual animals being corrupted or for example possessed by evil spirits such as in the case of Werewolves; second, the very first portrayal of the Eagles in the Hobbit describes them actually as mostly sinister breed, only it is specifically pointed out that these particular Eagles the Dwarves encounter happened, by the sheerest luck, to be the noble Eagles with proud ancestors (as we learn later, coming back to Thorondor and the Eagles of Gondolin).

It's difficult to imagine any Eagles serving Morgoth. If he'd had them, you'd think he could have made some use of them, mainly in scouting and whatnot, and they were supposed to be the eyes and ears in the field on Manwë, as it were. At least it's very hard to see any of them in Beleriand serving evil.

As for those further east, those of the Misty Mountains were said to hate goblins, so they as servants of Sauron were out. If there were Eagles in the East or South, they could conceivably have been removed enough from the West to have been corrupted, but then why weren't they serving as the winged steeds of the Nazgûl? Or, were those steeds "debased" Eagles, ala Orcs?