2023 MN DNR EagleCam 03/02/23
2023 EagleCam Season
CLICK TO WATCH THE EAGLES!
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/features/webcams/eaglecam/index.html
February 23, 2023
A major snowfall piles up 13.4 inches of snow in the Twin Cities covering the female in this time lapse video opens in a new browser tab from the early hours of February 23rd.
March 1, 2023
Broken Egg
On February 28, when the male and female were switching incubation duties, the male rose with one egg stuck to his brood patch. The brood patch is a bare spot of skin that all nesting adult eagles have. It allows for the warm skin of the adult's body to be in direct contact with the egg, keeping the eggs at an optimal 99°F. We don't know if the egg was already broken when the male stood up, or if it happened earlier.
What now?
There is no indication the remaining egg is broken or infertile. The eagle pair will continue incubating it just as they have been, until about March 23. Since we don't know if the broken egg was the first or second egg, the incubation time frame is less predictable. We will begin egg watch on March 22. The survival rate of bald eagle chicks to fledging (successful flight) is 50%. It is sad and unfortunate to lose an egg, but since there will only be one chick to care for, the survival chances increase dramatically!
Click here for the EagleCam Newsletter
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/features/webcams/eaglecam/newsletter.html