The metro area's three eaglets — and their parents — are quickly growing up in the live feed on the EagleCam. They're attracting the usual following — and some persistent questions about their looks.
"One of the questions that keeps coming up is why, because two are a different color," said Lori Naumann, information officer for the Nongame Wildlife Program in the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "It is the youngest one. You don't see the blood feathers coming out so quickly. They are making (the other) birds look darker. The feathers are literally filled with blood."
Naumann said Thursday that the oldest and the youngest eagles hatched about seven days apart and that gap accounts for the different markings. Plus, "not all eagles look identical," Naumann said. "They are not always going to have the same color markings."
The three eaglets will be banded next week, she said, adding that adult eagles in recent years have been cooperative.
"The parents are not aggressive. There aren't abandonment issues. That's not going to happen, and we haven't seen that happen," she said.
Naumann said regular viewers might notice that the parents are spending less and less time at the nest. That is by natural design. The parents are teaching their young to be more self-sufficient. It's also noticeable at feeding: The parents will bring all varieties of food back and lay it next to the eaglets to teach them to feed themselves.
An update on the EagleCam blog appeared April 1:
It has been a rapid growth period in the nest this week! All three chicks are thriving and have a very broad diet. Fish, mammals and birds as large as ducks continue to be their diet, fed by both parents. In the next week or so, the parents will begin perching on nearby branches, spending more time away from the nest. This will encourage the chicks — which are now 1/2 grown — to begin feeding themselves and tearing off pieces of meat on their own.
Some have been wondering about the foreign objects in the nest. One of the adults caught an air/facemask/respirator on its talon. It was not likely an intentional addition to the nesting material. It hasn't proven to be harmful, nor is the bit of plastic that is in the nest today. Pollution is disappointing, and can be deadly for our wildlife. Because of this, we encourage everyone to take the upcoming Earth Day (April 22), or before, to get outdoors, enjoy wildlife and help clean up your neighborhood/community!