A number of viewers have remarked on the change in behavior of E3 lately. There can be a number of reasons for the change:
- Up until recently E3 consumed the lion’s share of nutrition and grew at a fast pace – which is completely normal. During their development there does come a time when the demand for food does appear to decrease. Partly it is our perception because it seems they don’t eat as frequently. But the larger pieces they consume at a feeding now fills the crop much faster.
- During the first 30 days energy demand is higher and some biologists refer to a ‘Peak Energy Demand’ which usually occurs between 30 to 35 days – when feather growth is very visible. Their need for rest during this time has also been noted. E3 is 40 days old today. Since E4 did not receive the same amount of nutrition during the first 30 days, their ‘Peak Energy Demand’ will be later, as seen by the amount of food E4 has been consuming lately.
With that said, there is always the possibility that an eaglet will not survive its time in the nest to fledge for a variety of reasons. At this time there is no way of knowing for sure if E3’s change of behavior is just part of normal development or if there is in fact some other underlying reason.
Viewers are reminded that when watching the cams we are viewing nature in the raw – this is their world and not all nesting seasons result in a positive conclusion. SWFEC will provide information and facts as we know them and will not speculate on what is not known. We ask our viewers to understand and keep in mind the diverse audience who are sharing this experience. Thank you for understanding and we all hope for a successful season at all nests.