Breeding bald eagles in captivity

The Wilson Bulletin
By:  and 

Links

Abstract

A 7-year-old female Bald Eagle from Alabama was paired with a 4-year-old Alaskan male in a large flight pen during December 1969. Both birds were free of physical defects when originally placed in the pen but the female was blind in one eye prior to the 1973 breeding season.....Nesting first occurred during 1971 when at least two eggs were laid; all but one, which showed no sign of embryonic development after being incubated for 56 days, were broken by the adult birds. Two of three eggs laid in 1972 hatched. Both young died a few days after hatching following a period of inclement weather. Three eggs were laid and hatched during 1973. Antagonism between the nestlings was observed soon after hatching and may have been responsible for the unobserved death of one nestling, two days after the third young hatched. The two remaining young were raised by the adult birds and eventually left the nest 85 days after the first egg hatched. Incubation periods for the 1972-73 clutches averaged 35 days. No renesting attempts were made by the eagles during the 3.year period.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Breeding bald eagles in captivity
Series title The Wilson Bulletin
Volume 87
Issue 1
Year Published 1975
Language English
Contributing office(s) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Description 45-53
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Wilson Bulletin
First page 45
Last page 53
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details