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:
5/21/13
The eagle chicks are now eight weeks old and feathers have replaced much of the secondary coat of down. Juvenile eagles have dark brown eyes which will gradually change to the pale yellow eye color of an adult and the beak which is a dark black color will become the yellow beak of an adult. Juvenile bald eagles are actually larger in size than full grown adult eagles. The reason for this is that the juvenile’s feathers are longer and thicker than adults. Adult eagles have fewer, shorter feathers which make them more streamlined.
Over the next few weeks the chicks will start to strengthen their wings by flapping and stretching in preparation for their first flight. They will also start to “branch” which means they’ll walk out onto branches to perch. Several eagle chicks in New Jersey have already fledged (taken their first flight).
5/2/13
The eagle chicks are now five weeks old feathers have started coming in on their heads and backs. You’ll notice that the adults aren’t spending as much time in the nest. Even though you can’t see them one is most likely perched close by out of range of the camera keeping any eye on the chicks. The chicks learn to feed by watching the adults and have been starting to peck at food brought into the nest. They will learn to tear their own food and begin feeding themselves over the next few weeks.
Some cam viewers have asked if we will band the nest this year and the answer is “no”.
ENSP biologists came to the conclusion that due to the height of the tree the amount of time it would take to climb would increase the stress to the chicks and adults.
5/1/13
The cam is back up and running thanks to the techincal staff at Duke Farms. Enjoy the show!
4/29/13
The eagle cam is experiencing technical difficulties. The staff at Duke Farms are working towards a solution to the problem. Thank you for your patience.
4/18/13
The eaglets are over three weeks old and their feet and legs are almost the size of adults. Eagle chicks grow fast and can add one pound of body weight every four to five days. The chicks have their second coat of gray down called thermal down. The first coat of down, which they hatch with, is called natal down and isn’t a very good insulator. This is why the chicks are brooded by the adults to keep warm. The second coat replaces this first coat around when the chicks are 10 days old. This coat acts as an insulator and by 15 days the chicks are able to regulate their body temperature themselves. In another week or so the juvenile feathers will start emerging first on the head and back.
4/11/13
The chicks are more actively moving about the nest and attempting to stand though still clumsy they are a little over two weeks old. While an adult is still always at the nest they are no longer sitting on the chicks to keep them warm. With the warm weather the last few days the adults were spreading their wings out to provide shade to the chicks. When the chicks stand up you can see the crop which when bulging out means they had plenty to eat. The crop is located on the chest at the bottom of the neck. The crop is an out pouching of the esophagus that acts as a storage area when the stomach is full.
I’ve seen the adults bring fish into the nest so far. It’d be neat to keep a list of what prey items are brought to the nest this season. So if you see any prey being brought in besides fish e-mail me at: Larissa.Smith@conservewildlifenj.org
4/3/13
The two chicks are now around 1&1/2 half weeks old. The exact hatch dates are unknown but both were confirmed on 3/25. Eagles lay their eggs a few days apart so the chicks are a few days apart in age. At this age the chicks aren’t able to regulate their own body temperatures so one of the parents stays on the nest keeping the chicks warm and protecting them from predators. You can catch a glimpse of the chicks when they are being fed or sometimes sticking their heads up from underneath the adult. You also might have seen some sibling aggression between the chicks. This is normal as the oldest chick is larger and more developed and attempting to dominate for food and the adult’s attention. The younger bird learns to lay low and wait until the older sibling is done feeding. There is no shortage of food being brought into the nest so there is plenty for both chicks.
Hatching!
3/26/13- There are two chicks in the nest. They were seen sticking their heads up when the adult left for a brief period this morning.
There was some drama at the nest this past Sunday the 24th the cam recorded a red-tail hawk swooping into the nest while the male eagle was sitting on the eggs/chicks. The male attacks and kills the hawk. To see this footage go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s8anVG-o_I
Since the camera doesn't give a view into the nest we don't know if there is a third egg or chick.
2/20/13 - The first egg was laid on 2/14 and now there might be two eggs. Statewide there are 56 pairs of eagles that are currently incubating. Stay tuned for more updates!
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 what type of tree is the nest located?
The nest is located in a sycamore tree that is about 120 feet tall.
How big is the nest?
The nest is approximately 6 feet wide and 6 feet deep.
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.
Zoom+ Duke Farms eagle nest camera.
Where is the camera located?
The camera is in a tree about 60 feet away from the nest, 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 15 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
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 2012 there were 135 nesting eagle pairs monitored in New Jersey. One hundred nineteen of these were active (laid eggs) and 100 were successful in producing 165 young.
To learn more about eagles in New Jersey you can read the 2012 New Jersey Bald Eagle Project Report.
Learn More:
 | 2012 Bald Eagle Project Report - 1.3MB |
| 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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Educators!
Download lesson plans and activities to enhance your use of the EagleCam in the classroom! Download fun facts about bald eagles, activities about raptors, journaling pages for students, and MUCH MORE!