It is no secret that bad weather days can cause a disruption in the social behaviour of the eaglets on a nest. That is precisely what happened today on the NEFlorida Bald Eagle nest of Gabby and Samson. NE26, the older and larger of the eaglets, pecked at 27 so that it missed at least two feedings. The younger sibling quickly went into submission protecting is head and neck even when approached by the older sib.
By mid-afternoon, around 15:18, 27 got up around the tail of the adult and had some food. Earlier it had tried to self feed on a fish. That was around 10:18. It is very sad when a nest that had been so civil gets disrupted. Fingers crossed that 26 will behave and Samson will have more fish on the nest.
Here are some images, with very little text, of the encounters between the two siblings. The final one is NE27 finally getting fed.
Competition for parental attention or food, squabbling if you like between siblings, is quite common in Eagle nests even when the pantry is full. All of us have seen this. NE27 did figure out how to get around NE26 because, by mid-afternoon, it was really, really hungry. NE26 had been fed and was also not as aggressive as it had been earlier in the day.
We have seen competition arise after big storms. It almost seems that the time between feedings and the bad weather causes the eldest to become hostile. I hope by tomorrow these two eaglets who were both fed equally with large crops have this sorted out! Both Samson and Gabby are superb parents.
Thank you so much for joining me. Take care!
Thank you to the NEFlorida Bald Eagles and the AEF for their streaming cam where I took my screen captures.
I. Really sad to hear this after all was going so well. This happens though. I hope Samson is able to bring in more fish and that all will be ok again.
Thanks for this update and prayers for the little one to get enough food and the other one of course too.
Linda
Yes, let us hope. It isn’t always the food – you and I have seen nests full of food and yet, the oldest gets ‘in a mood’. I would love to speak Bald Eagle and find out what causes this mood swing.
It is so sad. I have seen in a couple
nests where the parents actually do nothing about it and the little sibling was killed by the older one. I saw on eagle and Osprey nests this happen.
That is why I love M and H nest SWFL .
They usually know how to do and what to do and how to handle it.
Prayers this won’t continue 🙏
A few nests really handle this well. Harriet and M15 are pros. Well the little one has eaten! Normally Gabby is great – a bite for you and then a bite for the other. So Little Bit is going to bed with a crop!
Sorry to hear about trouble on one of our favorite nests! It’s unfortunate what bad weather can do. It’s like the oldest is blaming the younger for his/her discomfort (and fear?) and taking it out on its sibling. Sort of like people sometimes do in stressful situations. Hopefully weather will improve there soon (plus plenty of food) and all will be well. Thanks for sharing your observations with us, Mary Ann.
The little one had a crop before bed! Yippeeeee. And Ervie had a fish. I had that fear of the older one. Fingers crossed it is all over.