2 bald eagle chicks eaten by their father
In a tragic turn of events, two baby bald eaglets that hatched last week at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, were killed by their father, who ate them.
One of the eaglets died last Monday night, while the other died shortly after being born on Friday, the National Conservation Training Center said.
“While this behavior was unusual, there’s much we don’t know,” the NCTC said in a social media post Friday. “This nest has brought us joy for years, raising countless eaglets for two decades. While this year’s nesting season was not easy, it has offered a rare glimpse into the complexities of nature and the challenges that bald eagles face.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed the death of the second hatchling Friday and explained that such incidents, though rare, are not unheard of. The spokesperson added that the population of the bald eagle has continued to soar, with an estimated 316,700 individual bald eagles in the lower 48 states.
The bald eagle population has more than quadrupled since 2009, the spokesperson said, adding that the estimate is based on the most recent survey done in 2019 and eagle populations are likely higher now.
Eaglets consumed in ‘confusion’
Earlier, in a social media post Tuesday, the NCTC had said that an eaglet died last Monday night “despite a promising start,” after its father “consumed” it in confusion.
The eaglet had hatched around 11:30 a.m. last Monday at the center and was doing well, enjoying its first fish meal around 5 p.m., a photo of which the center shared on social media.
“Unfortunately, just about two hours after the female gently fed fish to the eaglet, the male bald eagle returned to the nest and exhibited unexpected behavior,” officials for the center said, adding that the 4-year-old male eagle was confused by the eaglet’s presence.
The male eagle was rough with and eventually consumed the hatchling.
“This behavior, while heartbreaking, has been observed in other nests and is not uncommon in birds of prey,” the center said. “Bird behavior is complex and driven by hormones and instinct.”
“Bald eagles are naturally predatory and aggressive; that’s the only way they can survive. Every day, they hunt to live,” the center said.