Audubon eagle specialists from its Center of Birds of Prey removed two bald eaglets from a nest adjacent to Herbert Hoover Dike last Thursday Thursday and relocated them to the raptor center until foster nests can be found.
“Because of their location, these vulnerable eaglets were delaying construction projects needed to secure the safety of the dike,” said Dr. Paul Gray, Audubon’s Lake Okeechobee expert. “The dike repairs are necessary to protect lakeside communities, and the eaglets will be well cared for by Audubon.” Note that Herbert Hoover Dike is 70 years old and this is the first major repair it has undergone.
Professional climber James Lott, of Lawns-a-Lott, worked with Audubon Center for Birds of Prey staff and Audubon EagleWatch volunteer Jim White to remove the eaglets from the nest. Lott scaled the Australian Pine, which swayed over water, reached the nest, and safely removed the eaglets. All precautions were taken and the safety of the tree climber, the adult eagles and eaglets was assured. Audubon worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which granted all permits necessary to rescue the birds.
“This event was a model for what can be achieved when state, federal, and private organizations come together for a common purpose and goal,” said Army Corps Colonel and District Engineer Alfred Pantano, who attended the event. “We could not have accomplished this amazingly difficult, complex, and dangerous task without our great partners. The tree climber, Jim Lott, was phenomenal not only at ascending and descending a tall and flimsy Australian Pine over a body of water, but calming the Eaglets in a gentle and patient manner. We look forward to hearing about the Eaglets as they prepare to fledge their new nests.”
Following careful removal, the eaglets were examined by Center staff and will be cared for at the Center until foster nests are located. The eaglets were weighed and Center staff determined that the older eaglet (by 2 or 3 days) is the male and weighs just over 6 pounds. His younger sister weighs almost 7.5 pounds.
“We fed them, and they think the menu at the Center is pretty darned good,” said Lynda White, Audubon EagleWatch Coordinator.
The eaglets will remain at the Center until two separate active nests with chicks of comparable size can be found to foster them. Audubon EagleWatch volunteers will then monitor the nests for four hours each day for the first 3 days until it has been determined that the eaglets have been accepted by the new parents. Ongoing monitoring will be conducted to detail the behavior of both adult eagles and eaglets.
“Audubon is providing expert medical care,” said Katie Warner, Director of Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. “With Audubon’s extensive work with bald eagles, we have found that parents typically accept a foster chick and treat it as one of their own as long as the eaglet is the same age as the resident chick. We are hoping for a successful fostering of both of these babies, getting them back into the wild where they belong.”
Audubon’s Center is a leading raptor rehabilitation facility in the region and uniquely positioned to protect bald eagles and their habitat through its raptor rehabilitation, nest monitoring and educational programs. With its specialized eagle care, the Center treats the largest volume of raptors east of the Mississippi River, including more than 50 bald eagles annually. A study has shown that the Center has had a direct impact on 33 percent of Florida’s current eagle population, either through direct rehabilitation or through the offspring of birds treated and released by the Center.
