 Eagle chick (circled in red) in the nest on March 26.
DNR staff were alerted to the chick’s arrival and confirmed the sighting thanks to the many keen EagleCam viewers watching closely. Based on observations, staff believe the first chick hatched Thursday, March 26, and was spotted in the nest later that evening.
It is impossible at this point to confirm whether the pair has a single chick or multiple chicks, but as the chick (or chicks) grow and become visible on camera we will be able to determine how many are in the nest.
 Eagle pair in the nest, believed to be looking down at a recently hatched chick.
Bald eagle chicks are completely helpless when they are born. They are quite small compared to their large parents. Eagle chicks weigh only 3 ounces (about the weight of a deck of cards) and are about the size of a tennis ball.
They are covered in a light gray, fluffy down and have limited movement. An adult, usually the female, will almost always be at the nest keeping the chicks warm. The male will provide most of the food for the first two weeks, after which the adults will take turns hunting.
The eagle chick(s) will grow rapidly. They put on about 100 grams of weight each day, growing to almost 2.5-3 pounds by the time they reach 21 days old. Eaglets spend their first few weeks building strength, learning how to take food from their parents and walk around the nest. By the end of April (or early May depending on when they hatch), they will be standing, pecking at food and at about 60% of their adult size.
Watch at mndnr.gov/eaglecam or on our YouTube page.
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