A bald eagle egg has hatched in Florida, a second is expected to do so soon–
The following written content via 7 News Miami.
The first of two expected baby bald eagles hatched Monday in Florida, and the heartwarming moments were caught on camera for everyone to see.
The parents, Harriet and her mate M15, have spent more than a month patiently taking turns guarding and incubating the eggs and hunting around their nest, located on the Dick Pritchett Real Estate family farm.
A confirmed pip — a small crack that signals the first sign of a hatching — was seen on one of the eggs in the bald eagle nest Sunday morning and the baby hatched around 12:45 pm on Monday, according to the farm.
It generally takes between 12 to 72 hours for a chick to completely hatch, as the baby slowly uses its egg tooth to chip out of its shell without any help, according to the family.
For the past 10 years, the Pritchetts have installed three cameras around the nest to allow anyone around the world to watch the eagles and their beautiful moments, from the time the eggs are laid to the day the eaglets are born.
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Harriet and M15 have become internet sensations, with thousands of people around the world watching their 24-hour livestream, run by the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, in anticipation.
After announcing the official pip, or start of hatch, the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam has seen an average 2,500 viewers per minute, Virginia Pritchett McSpadden, who runs the project with her family, told CNN.They had about 6,500 watching, but in the past, they have seen 10,000 to 40,000 viewers a minute as the actual hatch happens, McSpadden said.
The first egg was laid on November 20, with the second egg laid three days later. The average incubation period for bald eagles is 35 days, according to Southwest Florida Eagle Cam.
Harriet has laid 23 eggs, including the two new babies, since the cameras were installed in 2012. She has been mating with M15, named after Male 2015, since the fall of 2015 after Ozzie, who Harriet first mated with, passed away after multiple violent altercations with M15.
“Both parents have diligently taken turns incubating the eggs; maintaining the necessary temperatures embryos need for proper development,” Southwest Florida Eagle Cam said in a press release.
“Harriet and M15 will continue to nurture their eggs until they feel movement and the chick scratches the surface of the egg to break out. Once the hatchling has begun to breathe, it will make soft calls that the adults can hear.”
While beloved fans were able to watch as the pair took care of their eggs, frequently rolling them and keeping them warm, there were also some terrifying moments for the expecting parents. Read more from 7 News Miami.
