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Calling Dr. Sharpe; Eagle mates
Topic Started: Oct 4 2006, 02:12 PM (967 Views)
harpo516
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In sifting thru sites and information I've come upon since following the nest, I read somewhere that the presumed mortality rate of fledglings could be as high as 50%! I was stunned! I'm a farm girl and understand nature but just had no clue - I was thinking maybe a couple a year are lost ...... And to think people probably believe that 75 birds are fostered (# just for discussion) and that 75 or 73 make it in the wild! That's what I USED to believe! These newly discovered facts made me so very aware of how important the work that IWS does and how many different levels they are actually affecting!

It's not just about producing a viable egg - having a hatching - having the chick succeed to fledging - surviving the fledge - it's so much more in the long run isn't it!! Hats off to Dr. Sharpe and all of IWS!

AND I HAVE A QUESTION: I have 2 parakeets (yeah little birdies) but it got me to thinking - this past spring we had a surprise when MOTY (mother of the year) presented us with 5 eggs (which she was not interested in and have since gone to "egg heaven") - in all of that I learned that the birds don't have to have a mate to stimulate egg laying - they can recognize the owner as a "mate" - weather/temperature changes can signal time to lay eggs - etc.! And some of those particular factors because they keets are kept in a controlled environment, can mean that she could lay eggs in the spring - in the fall - whenever - not necessarily in a normal, natural cycle!

Can that be the case with Eagles/all birds? With the right stimulation, they may not necessarily lay in the spring time? If an eagle lays an egg that does not produce - are they apt to lay substitute eggs? - at a later date but yet possibly in a time frame for reasonable expectation of hatching/fledging? Or is it a one shot deal per year??

And - OK 1 more question - do they only mate while in flight? I know, I know - I'm on my way to goodsearch! I heard that when I was a kid and it stuck with me - there were eagles at busch gardens in FL - injured and unable to be released but they said could never be expected to reproduce because they were unable to fly - so....... I was wondering. (EDIT: Ok I searched and it said "The male mounts the back of the female, litterally standing on her back while on a limb or the nest. They do have courtship displays involving aerial acrobatics and tumbling." So maybe they meant because they couldn't court because they couldn't fly there was no expectation for eggs/chickss??)

OK I'm going back to work...... (and good search)

(and look what I found: that 100 mile an hour reference!
http://www.wild-bird-watching.com/bald-eagle.html)
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Jeanette
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Thanks Dr Sharpe but when I click onto observations then links, then the tracking of Cruz it is dated August lst. When I click onto the arrows is it recent. Jeanette
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Eagle Duo
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We're not Dr. Sharpe (Eagle Guy), but this is one question we can answer. The arrows below the map for tracking Cruz take you from the beginning (August 1) to the most recent date posted.
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harpo516
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another question: do the parents stay together after chicks have fledged? or do they go kind of their own separate way and join back up when it's time to rebuild and get to business? we've seen dad at the nest recently but not mom - just wondering....
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Jeanette
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Sorry, but thanks Dave and Jann for your reply. So the arrows are recent on the tracking.of cruz I am probably one of many people who have not used the discussion board much but do enjoy seeing everyone's comments. Jeanette
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Bea
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Jeannette, so good to see you posting here again. I remember you from early June/July? And didn't your sister also chat with us sometimes?
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Eagle Guy
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harpo516,Oct 17 2006
08:30 AM
Can that be the case with Eagles/all birds? With the right stimulation, they may not necessarily lay in the spring time? If an eagle lays an egg that does not produce - are they apt to lay substitute eggs? - at a later date but yet possibly in a time frame for reasonable expectation of hatching/fledging? Or is it a one shot deal per year??

I've had eagles lay three times in a season, about a month apart, so it is not necessarily a once a year deal. However, I think the eggs need to break/disappear early in the incubation period for them to lay a second clutch. Besides domestic birds, I haven't heard of other species laying outside of their normal breeding season.
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harpo516
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Dr. Sharpe - thank you for the response. I would think it would be more likely that captive birds could/would lay more often because of the control of living conditions - heat, light, etc. Very interesting...... I'd think too with eggs that are produced late in the season, you now have a late fledge and not a lot of time for a young one to strengthen and "learn" on his own before having to move to other food sources, etc. for the winter period!
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Jeanette
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Your right Bea, my twin sister Jennifer used to post but she also has been following the discussion board avidly. Jeanette
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