Watch Bald Eagle Parents on Live Webcam As They Expect Their Chicks to Hatch Any Day Now
May 2, 2012 Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis Like any expectant parents, bald eagles “Independence” and “Franklin” are anxiously waiting for their three little chicks to hatch sometime this week, and it can all be viewed live 24/7 from streaming web cameras placed at the nest by the American Eagle Foundation (AEF).
Photo courtresy of the American Eagle Foundation.
“In the near future, we’ll be open to suggestions from our viewers regarding possible names for the chicks that will hopefully soon hatch and eventually be released into the wild when they reach full-size at 13-weeks. One or more of the young will be released in honor of fallen U.S. soldiers,” said Al Cecere, president and founder of the AEF
Independence and Franklin are in their 11th year as a captive breeding couple at the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary at the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
The pair bonded in 2002 and has already produced 27 eggs and 24 eaglets – most of which have been released into the wilds of East Tennessee.
This parent pair can’t be released back into the wild because they have permanent disabilities from injuries suffered from gunshot wounds when they lived in Alaska. Since being relocated to Tennessee, the pair has lived inside the large netted avian natural sanctuary.
When their eaglets hatch, they will be fed several times a day and often at night. As a practice, food is placed inside the aviary at the bottom of the hill from the nest twice a day – morning and evening – by the AEF staff.
“The amount of food provided daily is more than enough for the babies to be fed numerous times. In fact, there are usually leftovers at the end of each day,” said the foundation.