An Eaglet Rescue! | Bald Eagle Nest Update 5

Added: 2026-05-08

[00:00:22]The work of hatchy dad and hatchery mom number two has fueled the astonishing growth of their two eagllets.

[00:00:29]DH3 is 35 days old and DH4 is 33 days old. The eaglet's meals support their structural growth. That is, they gain body mass before they begin to expend energy developing flight feathers.

[00:00:46]Their feet at this stage are disproportionately large for their body size, which will help them move about the nest. But those first baby steps can be tough. Still, their strength and coordination improves each day, as does their ability to explore the nest and the surrounding environment.

[00:01:08]It is a time of rapid change for the young birds.

[00:01:20]At the Decor North nest, DNF and the unknown male remain in the early stages of bonding. Because the unknown male established his presence on the territory after DNF was already in egg laying mode, the pair was out of sync hormonally.

[00:01:36]The question now is whether the unknown male can maintain his hold on the territory over other prospecting males so that he and DNF can settle into a lasting relationship. On April 16th, a young eagle visited the nest briefly, making a few adjustments and investigating DNF's abandoned egg before moving on. 2 days later, another young eagle arrived and partly consumed the egg. Cannibalizing another eagle's egg is a rare behavior in this species, and the documented cases of it seem to have happened only when the eggs are abandoned and unhatched.

[00:02:16]DNF drove this interloper away. She had stopped incubating the egg a few weeks ago, so maybe DNF was more interested in protecting her turf than her egg.

[00:02:27]The success of the bond between DNF and the unknown male will be shaped by their abilities to settle into a shared rhythm, defend their territory, and work as a team.

[00:02:46]Mr. and Mrs. T selected an alternate nest this year just out of view of our cameras, but thanks to the Raptor Resource Project and a local Trumpo, Wisconsin resident, we have a brief update.

[00:03:01]As of April 23rd, we can confirm that there are two eaglets in the nest. TE6 likely hatched sometime between April 10th and April 12th with TE7 arriving shortly after. This is welcome news from a nest that we can't quite see but certainly haven't forgotten.

[00:03:31]Despite years of hardship, the bond between Jack and Audacity remains strong and undeniable. Although they have no eaglets to raise this season, they maintain the nest together, perch side by side, and share food offerings. On this particular evening, Jack delivers quite an impressive meal, a fish with a touch of greens.

[00:03:55]Setbacks have not broken them. The pair will keep doing what they do best and when the time comes, try again to bring new eaglets into the world next year.

[00:04:10]The Frasier Point Nest has been a model of stability through the 2026 nesting season. The three eaglets, Sasha, Zuma, and Ryder, were wellfed and cared for by their father Andor and mother, Cruz.

[00:04:25]Yet a momentary mistake by the youngest eaglet nearly led to tragedy.

[00:04:32]On April 24th at 3:41 a.m. local time, Ryder shuffled to the edge of the nest.

[00:04:40]Perhaps the darkness of the night impaired Ryder's sense of location. No matter the reason, Ryder soon found themselves struggling at the nest rim.

[00:04:51]Almost 20 minutes later, Ryder fell to the ground.

[00:05:05]The eaglet was still too young to return to the nest on their own. Although the parents might have provided some protection and food, Ryder's chances of survival were very slim if they remained on the ground.

[00:05:18]Thankfully, biologists with the Institute for Wildlife Studies were conducting field work on Santa Cruz Island. After being alerted to the situation, they dropped their plans and headed to the Fraser Point territory.

[00:05:33]At less than a month old, Ryder lacked the ability to walk, hop, or fly. So, IWS staff knew to look for the eaglet below the nest. With Andor and crews alarm calling from the air and Sasha and Zuma hunkered down in the nest to avoid attracting attention, IWS staff approached the nest and quickly located Ryder.

[00:05:56]They were prepared to transport Ryder to an accredited wildlife rehab facility if necessary, but Ryder appeared healthy enough to return to the nest.

[00:06:07]It is a myth that parent birds will reject their offspring if humans handle them. So after a quick physical check of rider, biologists climbed the nest tree and reunited the eaglet with the family.

[00:06:20]Rescues such as this and nest monitoring take time and resources.

[00:06:27]By making a donation to the Institute for Wildlife Studies nest adoption fundraiser, you can support their ability to ensure healthy populations of bald eagles in the Channel Islands and beyond.