May 04, 2005
Good Luck, Spunky Eaglet
A long post tonight folks, so forgive the wordiness. Lots to cover. :-)
First, we want to thank all the cam watchers who were able to watch the eaglet removal and who sent in their photos. We've posted a special Gallery collection of the eaglet removal photos. We hope you don't mind, but this one time we've passed on adding credits just so we could get the pages up faster. Much thanks again to all who made sure we were covered during the special event.
Second, we want to apologize to our cam watchers for giving such short notice about the eaglet move this afternoon. The Fish and Wildlife Service was in the area to take two other eaglets, and we suddenly got the call that they wanted to go to our nest today. Things moved so quickly that we weren't able to give much advance warning, but we did the best we could.
Based on the photos we received, it appears we got coverage of all that there was to see, so no one will miss any of the action. Also our ranger took photos from the ground and Craig Koppie took photos at the nest, so we'll be sure to share those as soon as we have them. We will also share any news we get about the third eaglet's progress once he gets to his new home.
According to Craig, when he first got to the nest today, the parents flew off and left him with the eaglets. The eaglets were a little nervous, so Craig talked to them and calmed them down. He also showed them the Vermont brochure you see in the photos -- all the while reassuring them that they were safe. :-)
Once the eaglets were calm, he quickly wrapped the third eaglet up so he wouldn't get hurt on the trip down the tree and then banded the other eaglets. After Craig made it to the ground, the eaglet was put in a proper carrier for his long trip. The parents then returned to the nest. Our ranger states that the third eaglet will now get first-class treatment as he is a "special project" eaglet that will enjoy 24-hour care.
According to Michael Amaral, Sr. the Endangered Species Specialist from the New England FWS Field Office, the final stop for the eaglet is a hacking tower. (Hacking is the term used to describe the process of hand-rearing and relocating young birds to reestablish populations.) The tower is about 25 feet off the ground and is a large segmented bird box with stick nests inside. It is open to a view of the water, but closed on the back where people can climb a ladder to slip food into it without being seen by the birds.
When the eaglets in the hacking tower approach the age where they are ready to fledge, the bars are removed from the front of the box and they depart on their own time schedule. Food is still provided nearby, like on the roof, if they want to return.
Visit the Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Initiative website to read more about the hacking towers and to see photos.
Why Did the Eaglet Go?
Since we announced the news that the third eaglet would be going to Vermont, we've naturally had cam watchers write in to say that they will miss the eaglet -- as we all will -- and that they wonder about the need to remove an eaglet from its home.
For the eagle parents, we're sure they will notice that the third chick is gone, but they will be busy with two almost full-grown eaglets, so they will have plenty to focus on in the coming weeks.
As for the third eaglet, even though he was well cared for at the nest, there are advantages to removing him early: he will be sure to get all the food he needs without having to share any with other siblings, and there won't be any chance he could accidentally get knocked out of the nest by one of his bigger siblings (a problem that sometimes occurs in more crowded nests).
Relocating young birds of prey is not a new activity and has actually been a valuable tool for helping raptor populations to recover throughout America. In fact, quite a few osprey chicks have been taken from Chesapeake Bay nests so that they could help revive populations in states that saw their osprey numbers plummet in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
The Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Initiative hopes to do the same with bald eagles. The goal of the program is to raise at least half a dozen eagle chicks for release into the wild annually between 2004 and 2006, with the hope of establishing a self-sustaining population of nesting bald eagles so that the raptor can be taken off the state's Endangered and Threatened Species List. This, in turn, will contribute to the national effort to raise bald eagle numbers to the point that the bald eagle can eventually be taken off the federal Endangered Species List, where the bald eagle is now listed as threatened.
Getting a species to the point where it can be delisted from endangered or threatened status is a difficult task because many threats exist for animals in the modern world.
Even though pesticides like DDT have been banned, eagles still face numerous threats such as shooting, poisoning, colliding with automobiles, getting electrocuted by power lines, and having their habitat and fisheries polluted or destroyed by humans. Having a healthy bald eagle population in as many states as possible will greatly help the raptor's survival in the long run and will be needed if the bald eagle is to recover fully.
In addition to helping Vermont establish a nesting bald eagle population, our third eaglet will also play another pivotal role -- he will be an ambassador for all bald eagles.
Volunteer Eveleen Cecchini, co-founder of Outreach for Earth Stewardship, has worked on the Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Initiative, and she does a good job of explaining the impact the eaglets have on residents in the state and especially on those who volunteer to work with the raptors:
"I see it as fostering ecological literacy," Cecchini says. "Less formally, it's strengthening respect and understanding for wildlife through education, and providing experiences for the lay person to build a respect for the need to maintain wild places by providing the opportunity to establish a personal relationship with bald eagles through education. By providing the opportunity for Vermonters to establish a personal relationship with these bald eagles, this project inspirits the desire to protect, conserve and maintain wild places in Vermont for future eagles."
"There is a tremendous power in that, and it helps people appreciate and value the eagles' inherent wild nature and the birds' roles in our ecosystem, while reinforcing our responsibility to maintain a healthy ecosystem for their wild relatives."
All the eaglets selected this year will contribute to this effort to educate residents while at the same time building a more secure future for bald eagles everywhere. The third eaglet will definitely be missed, but we're glad he will have such an important job to perform in the near future.
You can visit the Vermont Bald Eagle Restoration Initiative website to read more about the volunteers who are working with the eaglets.
Once again, thanks to our cam watchers for making today a great success,
Lisa - webmaster