Bald eagle pair loses battle over nest; eggs lost, too

[modrepub]

The nesting season has ended badly for the bald eagles that had been tending two eggs in the nest at Codorus State Park near Hanover that's monitored by a webcam livestreamed through the website of the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

The female bald eagle that has hatched her eggs in the nest annually for the past several years has been driven off by another female. Gone from the nest since Monday, March 19, she is unaccounted for and may be injured and on the ground away from the nest, or dead.

The male, which protected the eggs in the absence of the female and through much of the recent snowstorm, left the nest Wednesday.

The eggs are covered in snow and have been for much longer than they could remain viable.

The 2018 nesting attempt has failed.


The Game Commission posted this message with the webcam livestream on its website:

"While the Game Commission does not have a biologist on the ground in the area, it does appear that there may be another adult eagle around the nest. "Extra" bald eagles may be adults that have not yet paired up and claimed a territory; they may attempt to interfere with this pair in order to claim a mate or territory.
"With the population filling the available habitat in many parts of Pennsylvania, it would not be surprising to see some increase in nest failure as a result of these interferences and competition disrupting the care of nest and young.
"The big take-away lesson, bald eagles are well-adapted to Pennsylvania. They are well-adapted at selecting nest sites, building nests, and caring for eggs and young. This is one of the great lessons of the Game Commission's bald eagle recovery effort and its annual monitoring of active eagle nests. As bald eagles are filling available habitat in some parts of the state, there will be some conflicts between competing eagles.
"We have never in modern history been witness to such conflict events and we will all learn as we go. In most conceivable circumstances, nature will be allowed to take its course without intervention. Should an injured eagle end up grounded, the Game Commission could facilitate its transfer to a licensed rehabilitation facility."


Link: http://www.pennlive.com/wildaboutpa/2018/03/bald_eagle_pair_loses_battle_o.html


Not good news but wanted to follow up with an update.

[Fla Dem]

1. Sad, but unfortunately, that's nature.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

2. This is so sad. I've never heard of a female attacking a mother eagle sitting on her eggs.

Here's a pair of eagle my wife and I have followed the past half-dozen years:

http://www.decoraheaglecamalerts.com/

I've seen her completely covered with snow, refusing to leave her eggs. She's always been a good mother. There's a lake nearby and both parents are always providing their chicks (usually three) with fresh fish.

[Motley13]

3. it's a cruel world, even for raptors