Exercise is vital to developing the strong wing and leg muscles necessary for flight and capturing prey. Slumber often follows a meal, with the eaglets either dozing upright in the nest or laying down. Multiple chick nests provide observers with entertainment as the eaglets steal food from each other, play tug-of-war, chase each other around the nest and engage in other youthful antics.įeedings increase in frequency and amount over time as the eaglets require enormous energy to grow at such an accelerated rate. Lone eaglets occasionally exhibit play behavior, pouncing on items in the nest, or even tugging the adult’s feathers. ![]() At six to seven weeks old, eaglets stand upright, scream loudly for food, take “hop flights” hovering above the nest and play games. When nearly one month old, they grasp objects in their talons, peck at food, and regurgitate pellets of undigested casting material. The first month is critical in the survival of a weaker eaglet.Īs feathers emerge, the nestlings begin wing-flapping and become preoccupied with preening activities, including stimulating the uropygial gland near the base of the tail for a fluid to weatherproof their new plumage. ![]() Adult eagles do not interfere, but will continue to supply morsels of food to any interested nestling. Because of eaglet size disparity, fratricide, or the act of killing one’s sibling, can occur during the first few weeks of life. ![]() The behavior patterns of the developing nestlings change almost as rapidly as their plumage.
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