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Learn How to Become a Nest Cam Sponsor
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Information about the West End Nest The
nest that can be viewed on-line is part of the Channel Islands Bald
Eagle Restoration Project conducted by the Institute for Wildlife
Studies (IWS) and funded by the
Montrose Settlements Restoration Program and
generous
donations from viewers like you. First established in 1991, this
nest, called the West End nest,
is rare in that there have been
three eagles (two
females and a
male)
cooperatively breeding here since 1992. The original male disappeared
before the 2006 breeding season at the age of 25 years old. He was
replaced by a 6-year-old male (#01) in 2006. The two
females are 22 years old. One female has orange wing markers with
"69" printed in black. This helps us identify individuals. The other
female has a silver band on her left leg. The birds share all
the nesting duties, including
nest construction, incubating the eggs, and taking care of the chicks.
This is one of
only a handful of reported nests with three adult bald eagles present
and the only one that you can actually watch on the internet.
The nest, located on a rock pinnacle at a remote location on Santa
Catalina Island, California, has been monitored since 1991 by IWS
biologists
using closed-circuit camera systems. Because of continuing problems
with
DDT pollution in southern California, which causes the eagles to
lay thin-shelled eggs, it is necessary for us to remove the eggs soon
after they are laid, replace them with artificial eggs, and incubate
the real eggs in incubators at our incubation
facility on Catalina.
When the eagle chicks are 1-2
weeks old, we foster them into the nests.
Since 1991, 21
chicks have fledged from this nest, three of which have
remained on the island. |
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If you would
like to help support our bald eagle restoration efforts, which allow us
to bring you the images you are watching, please consider making a
tax-deductible donation. All
donations will be used solely for our bald eagle restoration and
education projects. Thank you.
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