New eagle pair, nest to be featured on popular Minnesota DNR EagleCam

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources EagleCam, with viewers in all 50 states and more than 150 countries, will feature a new location and pair of bald eagles when it goes live Thursday. The original EagleCam will also remain on during the coming season.

The new camera will focus on the nesting behavior of a breeding pair of bald eagles that have successfully and consistently nested in the area for at least four years, rearing several broods of eaglets. The original camera will continue to show the territory that includes the previous eagle pair whose nest fell April 2, 2023. 

Both cameras can be viewed starting Thursday on the DNR website and on the DNR YouTube channel. The webpage also includes a new video highlighting the installation of the new camera, the work of the DNR Nongame Wildlife Program and how anyone can donate to support the program.

Since 2013, the Nongame Wildlife Program has provided the DNR EagleCam as another way to connect people with wildlife.  

“While the DNR EagleCam brings Minnesota wildlife into homes and schools in an exciting and educational way, the Nongame Wildlife Program has helped restore and support populations of eagles, loons and many other species,” DNR Ecological and Water Resources Division Director Katie Smith said. “This vital work is supported by donations on our webpage, on state tax forms, and through bequests and other gifts.”

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The new camera was installed at this new location because it was not possible to run electricity to the original EagleCam pair’s new nest. As with the original camera, Xcel Energy provided their services without charge, making this second camera possible.

EagleCam viewers are swept into the intimate lives of breeding birds, providing a virtual experience in nature. Research has shown that wildlife cameras provide the same mental health benefits as experiencing nature in-person. 

The DNR EagleCam goes live each November to show the eagle pair courting each other and upgrading their nest. They bring in new nesting material and large sticks each year as a bonding activity.

The pair typically increase their activity at the nest as winter progresses and normally by mid-February will have two or three eggs, which the adults incubate for about 35 days. Both adults participate in incubating the eggs and caring for the chicks. Once the chicks hatch, the camera zooms in closely to follow the delicate process of raising bald eagle chicks.