Hundreds of thousands of people were glued to their computers and mobile devices this week watching two tiny Bald Eaglets hatch LIVE on the Internet via the DC Eagle Cam.
Bald Eagle parents Mr. President & The First Lady welcomed their first eaglet into the world on March 29 and their second eaglet just a day later. These 24/7, live-streaming cameras are operated by the non-profit American Eagle Foundation on dceaglecam.org.
Click here to watch the first eaglet hatch, and here to watch the second.
Nest‑cam fans worldwide are enthralled with viewing this "First Family" of American eagles in the U.S. National Arboretum, but many of them are now probably wondering, "what comes next?"
Newborn eaglets have unsteady legs and wobbly heads. They won't be able to fully generate their own body heat for the first week or so, and will be extremely dependent on their parents for safety, food, and warmth. Viewers can expect to see a lot of adorable snuggling and sibling antics between the two youngsters as well!
This state of affairs will change fairly quickly though. Over the next 12 weeks, these tiny gray fuzzy eaglets will gradually grow into full‑size juvenile eagles with all‑brown plumage. They'll still be dependent on mom and dad, but will begin to develop their own eagle survival skills by feeding themselves (food provided by parents) and learning to use their wings through "wingersizing." They'll start to explore the edges of their nest and the surrounding branches, and between 11‑14 weeks of age will take their first flights and make their way into the world.
The public's response to this live‑streaming educational nest cam project has been phenomenal. Since the website originally launched on February 15, 2016, the live cameras have been viewed over 70 million times.
