Minnesota Eagle Cam has Two Chicks

Right on time, the two chicks have hatched on the EagleCam! The first chick hatched on Tuesday, March 22. Tuesday was one of the wettest days at the cam site, but that didn’t stop the chick from emerging from the egg. Because of the cold, windy and wet weather, the parents have been sitting very tight and keeping the nest aerated in order to keep their young warm and dry. They wiggle their bodies to get the chicks close to the brood patch – the exposed skin on their bellies. The second egg hatched on March 24 at about midnight and has already had its first feeding. 

There is now a cache of food at the nest for feeding the two hungry mouths. The male has delivered a muskrat, a pigeon, several fish and a large portion of a deer carcass. Earlier this week, Thomas Demma, a photographer who monitors the nest site, reported a deer had been hit by a vehicle and was dead on the road near the nest. He contacted local DNR staff, who moved the carcass off of the road and closer to the nest. Leaving the deer on the side of the road could have been deadly for the eagles, as they often feed on road-killed animals and get injured or killed by passing vehicles. The male delivered part of the carcass to the nest. This select cut of venison will provide long-term sustenance for the adults and the chicks.

You will now see lots of “bonking” on the head of the new chick from the older chick. This behavior is nest competition and is completely normal. It is a survival instinct and once the younger one gets a little stronger, it will learn to fight back. This strengthens each of the chick’s survival instincts to compete for food as they grow up to become fierce hunters and fight rivals in the future. Their neck muscles are not fully developed yet, so they look like little bobble heads trying to get food and push each other around. we’ve posted some video of the antics on our site, so be sure to tune in to all the fun!

Visit mndnr.gov/eaglecam. 

NOTE TO CAM WATCHERS – clicking noise:  The microphone at the nest is faulty. A replacement arrived too late to install this season. The eagles cannot hear the clicking noise, but it can be bothersome to hear when watching the EagleCam. We suggest muting your sound until next season if it is bothersome.

It is an exciting time at the nest, so stay tuned to watch nature up-close and learn all about eagles.