National

Bald eagle baby is first to hatch in New Jersey nest. See the ‘precious’ little fluff

Bald eagle baby is first to hatch in New Jersey nest. See the ‘precious’ little fluff
Bald eagle baby is first to hatch in New Jersey nest. See the ‘precious’ little fluff Duke Farms Eagle Cam

UPDATE: A second eaglet emerged from its egg at 12:41 a.m. Feb. 27 in Duke Farms. Now, viewers are eagerly waiting for the third egg to hatch.

The original story is below.

A “precious” bald eagle baby is the first of three to break out of its egg in a New Jersey nest.

The eaglet hatched at 6:32 a.m. Feb. 25 in Duke Farms, a nature preserve in Hillsborough Township, the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey said in a Facebook post. The nonprofit monitors the nest at Duke Farms.

A pip was visible on the egg a day before the eaglet hatched completely, the nonprofit said. A pip appears when the eaglet makes a crack in the egg.

The first chick is seen being fed Feb. 26.
The first chick is seen being fed Feb. 26. Screen grab from Duke Farms Eagle Cam

The eaglet then “slipped out of the shell,” the wildlife organization said.

Photos from the live Duke Farms Eagle Cam show the gray fluffy chick getting fed by one of its parents, likely the mother.

Once an eaglet hatches, the mom will feed it pieces of meat brought by the dad, according to the Avian Report.

Fish carcasses are visible in this nest, and they’re likely what the eagle mom is feeding her chick.

A close up shows the eaglet in the nest Feb. 26, a day after it hatched.
A close up shows the eaglet in the nest Feb. 26, a day after it hatched. Duke Farms Eagle Cam

Eaglets have poor vision and are very weak when they first hatch, which is why many call them “bobbleheads” as they struggle to control their little bodies, according to the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy.

“Now the fun begins…watching the lil bobble head eat and grow and one day turn into a magnificent adult,” one person commented on Facebook.

“Precious. I love seeing the eagles care for their offspring! So caring!” another person commented.

The two other eggs may hatch in the coming days.

But for now, the bald eagle mother will continue to feed her first little one and keep it warm.

In Southern California, bald eagles Jackie and Shadow are tending to three eggs as a possible hatch date quickly approaches, McClatchy News reports.

Read Next
Read Next
Read Next

This story was originally published February 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Bald eagle baby is first to hatch in New Jersey nest. See the ‘precious’ little fluff."

Helena Wegner
McClatchy DC
Helena Wegner is a McClatchy National Real-Time Reporter covering the state of Washington and the western region. She’s a journalism graduate from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She’s based in Phoenix.
Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER