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  • Bald Eagle Egg Hatches in Pittsburgh

    Bald Eagle Egg Hatches in Pittsburgh

    The Pennsylvania Game Commission confirmed that the first of three bald eagle eggs had hatched Friday in a nest sitting in a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania neighborhood. Roughly an hour later, the adult male and female eagles were seen tending to the eaglet via a webcam put in place by the commission using PixController.

    The nest was built in the Hays section of Pittsburgh, near the Monongahela river. The Game Commission commented that the second egg might hatch in about three days, and the last egg might hatch within a week. According to Commission Officer Gary Fujak, the 5.5-year-old female eagle will stay on top of the hatchling while she continues to incubate the other two eggs for the next several days. Fujak commented, “Generally, the first eaglet that hatches will have the best chance. The mortality rate can be as high as 50 percent within the first year,” though added that three eaglets in Crescent Township, Allegheny County survived last year.

    Here’s the clip of the first eaglet hatching in the Pittsburgh Hays nest:

    In the 1800’s, the Carnegie Steel Homestead site sat along the Monongahela River, severely polluting the water, as industrialization was yet to be regulated during that era. Fish populations were essentially destroyed, and during a survey in 1967, a researcher could only find one bluegill. As bald eagles rely on fish to survive, experts have noted that it’d likely been 250 years since the birds of prey were nesting along Pittsburgh’s three rivers, before being reintroduced three decades ago alongside efforts to clean up the waterways.

    At present, there are now 76 species of fish in the Monongahela. With assistance from the Canadian government and the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there are now more than 200 eagle’s nests existing in the region. Fujak commented, “This is great. It is showing how adaptive wildlife is and how resilient they are.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bald Eagle Egg Hatches in Pittsburgh, Watch Live

    No one can deny this is a great story.

    A bald eaglet has hatched in Pittsburgh‘s Hays neighborhood along the Monongahela River. The little eaglet was first spotted thanks to an “eagle-cam” about 2:30 p.m. Friday.

    There are two more eggs in the nest and faithful followers of the eagle-cam are patiently waiting for two more little eaglets to join the family.

    The first egg was laid on Feb. 19; the second egg appeared on Feb. 22 and the third —and final egg — was laid on Feb. 25.

    It takes an average of 35 days for Bald eagle eggs to incubate.

    Experts say it’s too early to determine whether it’s a girl eaglet or a boy eaglet.

    This is the second year in a row the Hays neighborhood bald eagles have raised an eaglet. Last summer, a single eaglet was raised and kicked out of the nest when he was ready to face the big, wide world on his own.

    It’s been drama galore for watchers of the nest this year. Recently, the female bald eagle had to fight off a raccoon that tried to get to her eggs.

    Don’t mess with momma!

    The bald eagle is the iconic symbol of the United States and has been endangered in years past, but populations are growing steadily.

    The live-stream is provided by PixController Inc. and it works with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The stream is featured on the Animal Planet Live website.

    Oops… seems there is some competition between eagle watchers in Pennsylvania.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bald Eagle Released After Territorial Brawl

    The American Bald Eagle symbolizes strength, long life, and most of all, freedom.

    So, it’s no surprise that wildlife rescue centers across the country take their job very seriously when it comes to saving endangered bald eagles.

    One of these majestic birds was saved last week in West Cape May, New Jersey following a territorial fight against a rival.

    Authorities were informed about the brawl between the two eagles.

    When the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) state biologist Kathy Clark arrived on scene, the pair was still attacking each other along side a residential street. She captured the most injured one while the other one escaped.

    The bald eagle suffered from bruising and puncture wounds under its wings.

    After extensive rehabilitation at Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research Inc. in Newark, Del., DEP decided to release it Tuesday at a remote wildlife management area in Winslow.

    As onlookers waited for the bird’s release, authorities carried it in a covered cage, shielded from its audience. Once his cage door was opened, he immediately flew off into the distance.

    “It was a quick turn-around for him,” said Sarah Tegtmeier of Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research. “The shorter we keep them in captivity, the better, but we won’t release them until they are ready.”

    DEP believes that the fight was between two male bald eagles over a nesting area.

    Clark says that territorial brawls between bald eagles are more common now that the population has grown since 2012.

    The department decided to release the bird outside the location of its home because they wanted to avoid another similar incident.

    “We hope he finds new territory, but chances are, he will go back to Cape May once he gets his bearings because he knows he does not live here. That will be his choice,” Clark said.

    Watch the the video down below by NJ.com:

    In another unrelated event, a bald eagle was found shot and wounded in a residential area near Oak Lawn, Illinois.

    According to the Federal Migratory Bird Act, it is illegal to hunt bald eagles. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating more into the case as they assume someone deliberately shot the bird.

    The bird went through surgery February and is currently recovering at Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.

    Here is a story about the population of Tri-State Bald Eagles:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bald Eagle Injured But Recovering At Wildlife Center

    Bald eagles aren’t seen often, but one was found wounded at a residence near Oak Lawn, Illinois. Oak Lawn Animal Control Officer Barry Adamczyk was called to the residence to pick up the injured bird and admitted to being skeptical that it was a real bald eagle.

    “I was shocked,” he said. “I didn’t believe I was looking at a bald eagle.”

    Adamczyk had never encountered a bald eagle before but was able to catch the bird fairly easily. The bald eagle had been shot in the wing and was suffering from internal trauma, dehydration and malnourishment. The gunshot had also broken the eagle’s wing.

    Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are still investigating the incident and there is not much information about the person who shot the bald eagle. Wildlife officers are concerned that someone would shoot a bald eagle on purpose and are taking the investigation very seriously.

    More than 3,000 bald eagles live in Illinois during the winter and the birds are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Act, and therefore are never legal to hunt.

    Bald eagles were once on the Endangered Species list because they were on the brink of extinction. The populations were able to recover and on July 12, 1995 the bird was removed from the Endangered Species list and added to the threatened species list. Populations are still growing but the birds are still protected and considered threatened in most states.

    The bald eagle found in Oak Lawn was treated at the Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn and underwent surgery on Feb. 27. After surgery the bird recovered quickly and was given both pain medicine and antibiotics to help it heal.

    The bird will be kept at the center for at least a month and will slowly be introduced back into the wild through a process of allowing it to fly in several large enclosures that will keep the bird safe while rehabilitating it. It will also be introduced to the Willowbrook’s raptor flight facility before it is released back in the wild.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons