Eagle Cam
Welcome to the Eagle Cam, a collaboration with Duke Farms.
Bald Eagles are extremely sensitive to human disturbance. At no time should anyone approach nesting eagles. People who want to observe or photograph eagles and who come too close may actually cause the birds to abandon a nest.
Located on Duke Farms in central New Jersey, the EagleCam allows viewers an up close and personal view into the lives of a pair of bald eagles as they breed, incubate, and raise young. It is a perfect tool for teaching about wildlife and covers a variety of topics including animal behavior, bird biology and natural history, endangered species, food webs, contamination, and MORE!
EAGLE UPDATES:
2/24/14
The third egg was laid yesterday afternoon.
1st egg laid 2/17- possible hatch date 3/24
2nd egg laid 2/20- possible hatch date 3/27
3rd egg laid 2/23-possible hatch date 3/30
2/21/14
The second egg was laid yesterday afternoon. The third egg should be laid this weekend. Incubation begins when the first egg is laid and hatch in the same order as laid. In New Jersey incubation lasts around 35 days.
1st egg laid 2/17- possible hatch date 3/24
2nd egg laid 2/20- possible hatch date 3/27
Both the male and female share incubation duties. When they exchange incubation duties, then we get a view of the clutch of eggs. Join the conversation on our Facebook page!
Zoom+ The second egg was laid on Feb. 20th in the mid-late afternoon.
The first NJ nest to hatch was confirmed on February 17th.
A total of 40 pairs of eagles are currently incubating in New Jersey.
2/17/14
The first egg was laid today at ~4:00 p.m.
2/6/14
As the snow piled up in the nest the pair was probably perched in a location out of the weather as much as possible. This morning the pair was seen bringing sticks to the nest and arranging them.
Thirteen pairs of eagles are now incubating in New Jersey.
1/24/14
Five NJ eagle pairs are already incubating. The earliest incubation start date for this season was January 12th.
The Duke Farms pair continue to ready the nest.
1/6/14
One of the adult eagles was seen working on the nest this afternoon and was later joined by the second adult for a short time.
Zoom+ An eagle is spotted on the nest.
1/2/14
Happy 2014! We are looking forward to another successful nesting season for the pair in 2014. The pair continues to be seen at the nest usually in the evening and early morning hours. They started incubation on February 14th last season so most likely they'll start incubating sometime around that date this year.
12/6/13
Duke Farms banded bird re-sighted.
On December 1, 2013 Kevin Smith photographed a NJ banded bird at Conowingo Dam, Maryland. He was able to zoom in to view the green band which read C96. This bird had been banded on May 18, 2009 at Duke Farms. He was the oldest of three males raised by the pair in 2009 while being watched by eagle cam viewers. At 4 1/2 years old the bird is almost a mature adult but still has just a slight amount of brown in his tail feathers.
Conowingo Dam is a popular spot for eagles this time of year due to the abundance of fish. Kevin noted that the eagles were catching smaller fish than usual and eating them on the fly. The photo on the left shows C96 moving the fish from his talons to his bill. Keven reports that he (C96) would then circle back around looking for more fish and got his share of food that day.
See CWF Blog for more information.
Zoom+ NJ eagle banded at Duke Farms in 2009. Photo taken at Conowingo Dam, MD Kevin Smith
Zoom+ NJ eagle banded at Duke Farms. Photo taken at Conowingo Dam, MD Kevin Smith
11/25/13
The pair has been busy working on the nest. The best time to see them at the nest is early in the morning or later in the day.
In 2013 148 pairs of bald eagles were monitored and 177 young produced. The 2013 Bald Eagle Report has all the details on the 2013 NJ eagle nesting season.
10/23/13
The eagle camera is now up and running! Staff at Duke Farms relocated the camera to the new nest tree so the view is closer and not obstructed by branches. The new nest is 80 feet off the ground and sits in a cluster of branches of a large sycamore tree. The adults have been seen working on the nest in the early morning hours.
Duke Farms Eagle Cam FAQ’s
How long have eagles been nesting at Duke Farms?
The eagle nest at Duke Farms was first discovered in the fall of 2004. The pair started using the nest in 2005. In the fall of 2012 Hurricane Sandy's 70+ mph tore off the upper half of the nest tree, destroying the nest completely (the camera and camera tree were spared). The pair built a new nest 100ft south of the eagle camera in late December 2012. The view of the nest was limited by branches and leaves during the 2013 nesting season.
In what type of tree is the nest located?
In December 2012 the pair built a new nest in a sycamore tree.
How high is the nest?
The nest is about 80 feet high.
How long has the camera been at the nest?
The camera was set up in 2008 and transmitted the picture beginning in March 2008. In the fall of 2013 the camera was moved to the new nest tree.
Zoom+ Duke Farms eagle nest camera.
Where is the camera located?
The camera is in the nest tree positioned above to view the nest from above. The camera can be maneuvered remotely to pan, tilt and zoom.
How many young have been raised in this nest?
A total of 18 eagle chicks have been raised and fledged from this nest since 2005.
2005- 1 chick
2006- 2 chicks
2007- 1 chick
2008- 2 chicks
2009- 3 chicks
2010- 2 chicks
2010- 2 chicks
2011- 2 chicks
2012- 1 chick
2013- 2 chicks
When do the birds start incubating?
In 2013, the pair started incubating on February 14.
Are the adult eagles banded?
In 2009 and 2010 it was noted that both the male and female were NJ- banded birds, because they each had a green color band on one leg and a silver federal band on the other. In 2011, however, there was a new female in the pair, which we know because she was not banded.
Have any of the chicks been banded?
Yes, the chicks were banded in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
2007- 1 chick- male
2009- 3 chicks- males
2010- 2 chicks-females
2011- 2 chicks- males
How is the eagle cam funded?
Duke Farms hosts the eagle camera and the internet connection. The Endangered and Nongame Species Program and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ support their work and conduct the on-site banding and provide biological consulting.
How many eagle nests are in NJ?
In 2013 there were 148 nesting eagle pairs monitored in New Jersey. One hundred nineteen of these were active (laid eggs) and 96 were successful in producing 177 young.
To learn more about eagles in New Jersey you can read the 2013 New Jersey Bald Eagle Project Report.
Learn More:
 | 2013 Bald Eagle Project Report - 1.0MB |
| 2012 Bald Eagle Project Report - 1.3MB |
| 2013 EagleCam Nest Updates - 19.8KB |
| 2011 EagleCam Nest Updates - 59.8KB |
| 2010 Eagle Cam Nest Updates - 31.0KB |
| Adopt a Species - Bald eagle - 197.5KB |
Find Related Info: Bald Eagles, Raptors
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