Eagle FAQ

Thank you for inquiring about the bald eagle nest cam. Here are the answers to some frequent questions we have received. If you have other questions, please contact us.

What is that noise I sometime hear?

The camera is solar powered and the noise in the background during part of the day is the batteries being recharged–it is heard in the system, but not heard at the nest, so the eagles cannot hear it.

What type of camera is being used?

It is an outdoor protected wildlife camera made by Axis.

How was the camera installed?

We hired a biological tree-climber to install the camera–someone who understands how to climb trees and install cameras without damaging the tree or any of its habitats. These special climbers must also have both the federal and state permits required to handle bald eagles as a federally protected and state endangered species

How high up is the nest?

It is estimated that the nest is about 120 feet high, very near the top of this Jeffrey pine tree.

Does the night light disturb the eagles?

No. This is an infrared light that cannot be seen by either the eagles or humans. Only the special camera lens can pick up that frequency of light to allow us to see the nest at night.

Do eagles mate for life?

Mostly yes, at least about 95% of the time. If a mate disappears for some reason, the other eagle will take a new mate. And there are documented cases of eagles simply changing mates without letting us know what the reason is.

Which eagle is the female/male?

The larger eagle is the female. In general, female bald eagles are larger than males. Other than the size, there is no way to tell the male from the female.

How old are these eagles?

Eagles’ ages can be determined until they are about 5 years old, because their feather coloration patterns change by their approximate age. At around 5, they take on their mature coloration (black body, full white head and tail) and their age can no longer be determined.

For the eagles currently on this nest, each one has been at the nest since they first turned 5, so we do know their age. Jackie, the female, turned 5 in the spring of 2017 (therefore hatched in spring 2012) and Shadow, the male, turns 5 in the spring of 2019 (therefore hatched in spring 2014).