Bridget Reed Morawski
WASHINGTON (WMAL) — They’re (both) finally here! The second and final eaglet has emerged from its shell, two days after its sibling did the same.
The second eaglet hatched March 20 at approximately 3am. Follow the link here to catch up with the feathery family.
Nicknamed “The President” and “First Lady,” the pair of love birds laid two eggs last month and their chicks hatched right on schedule. Eagle eggs take approximately 35 days to incubate.
Although the eggs have hatched, you can still tune into the live stream to catch the parents bonding with their fluffy offspring, as well as watch them quickly grow from the size of a stick of butter to a full-sized eagle in approximately 13 weeks.
The DC Eagle Cam, sponsored by the American Eagle Foundation and the USDA, warns viewers of the unpredictability of nature. They caution viewers that at times the eagle cam could become “difficult to watch,” as anything from sibling rivalry, predatory behavior, and natural disasters could disrupt their
This isn’t the first time these eagles have been seen at the National Arboretum. The pair successfully raised one eaglet last year at the National Arboretum. And what a place to raise your kids – the bald eagles are nestled high in the canopy of a tulip poplar within the National Arboretum, a chunk of real estate that the American Eagle Foundation says was an excellent choice, and provides a great view for anyone watching on the webcams.
“We have found that it is such a wonderful medium to educate the public when we can reach them, by them sitting in front of their computers,” said Julia Cecere, an American Eagle Foundation spokeswoman, in a past interview with WMAL.
The webcam can be accessed 24 hours a day, with two different angles available. The high-definition cameras are able to provide both the public and researchers with access that previously was difficult to come by.
“It’s become such a wonderful way to gain new information about the nesting habits of bald eagles,” said Cecere.”And then the coolest part is being able to watch the hatching of the eaglets, and it’s just a really cool thing that has never been able to be witnessed in the wild.”
Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (Photo: American Eagle Foundation video feed)
