Eagle hatchling makes debut

At least one Bald Eagle chick has hatched in the nest along the North Fork of the Palouse River in the Glenwood area.

The chick, covered in a gray down, was first visible a little more than a week ago. The two adult eagles share nesting duties. If one flies to take a break, the other immediately goes to the nest to eaglet-sit.

Only 50 percent of eagle chicks will survive their first year, according to baldeagleinfo.com.

Eagles typically lay two to three eggs, which are about the size of goose eggs. Since the eggs are laid a day or two apart, the first hatching chick will have a head start on the second or third chick. The larger chick will peck at and attack the smaller chicks, gobbling up more food that is brought to the nest. Many second and third hatching eaglets fail to live beyond the first two weeks.

The adult eagles don’t try to protect the eaglets from one another.

Newly hatched eaglets are soft, with gray and white down covering them.

Eagle chicks are believed to be the fastest growing North American bird.

At six weeks of age, a healthy chick should weigh between eight to nine pounds.

The young birds add one pound to their body weight every four to five days.

By three weeks, they are one foot high and their feet and beaks are nearly adult size. Between four to five weeks, the birds are able to stand and they can tear up their own food.

In five to six weeks, black juvenile feathers will begin to grow in. At six weeks, the eaglets are almost as large as their parents. At eight weeks, the appetites of the young birds are the greatest. While the parents hunt almost continuously to feed them, the eaglets are beginning to stretch their wings in response to gusts of wind and may even be lifted off their feet for a few moments.

An eaglet takes its first flight 10 to 13 weeks after hatching.

Eaglets are never left unattended for long. If the adult eagles are not on the nest, they aren’t far away.

Eagles feed their young by shredding pieces of meat from their prey with their beaks. While on the nest with very young eaglets, parents move about with their talons balled into fists to avoid injuring their young offspring.

Once an eaglet grows feathers necessary for flight, they stay around the nest for four to five weeks while their primary feathers grow and strengthen for longer flights.

Adult eagles can live up to 30 years. The adults will likely return to the nest next year unless the nest is destroyed or they feel threatened.