March 13, 2005
Eaglet Body Heat
Temperature regulation is an important issue for the young eaglets. In the book, "The Bald Eagle: Haunts and Habits of a Wilderness Monarch" the two authors explain why:
"There is almost always at least one adult on the nest for the first two weeks of nestling life. During that time, the chicks cannot regulate their own body temperature and so must be kept warm by the adults. Quite commonly, a chick will rest at its parent's breast, and in the first ten days at least, the adult may pull dried grass on top of the little bird. Young chicks may also be covered with grass when an adult is about to leave the nest. Eaglets are never left unattended for long. Though they may not be on the nest proper, the adults are never far away."
We can see evidence of this very behavior in our terrific photo Gallery. Right before the third chick was born, we saw one of the parents cover the chicks with grass.
In addition, at least two times since their birth, we've seen a chick peeking out from under the mother's breast at night. Both scenes are good examples of ways in which the parents are regulating body temperature.
Temperature regulation is also a reason why we can't go up and reposition the camera at this time. Our efforts to fix the camera will flush the mother and father away from the nest for at least a short period, during which time the vulnerable chicks will not have the protection they need. As the chicks age, they will eventually become more capable of protecting themselves from the elements.