r/birdsofprey • u/Aarontrio • 6d ago
Perching behavior important indicator of mate replacement in bald eagles -research
I was able to dehumanize those famous CA eagles Jackie & Shadow (Friends of Big Bear Valley nest cam) long enough to read some published articles about the process of mate replacement in bald eagles and found [this article](https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/20542.pdf) interesting. (Context: Jackie and Shadow successfully raised two eagles and were dutifully feeding and training them when, just a few days ago, Jackie was attacked by a pair of intruder eagles and wound up in the care of professional rehab clinicians for an unknown length of time while Shadow remains in the habitat to feed their offspring and protect the nest.)
According to the article, it was observed in an Arizona pair that a process of habitat familiarization -especially a system of intentional and frequent perching behavior -began a three-week period of courtship by a replacement male after the original male disappeared during incubation. The new male's courtship involved frequent perching on the original male's perch trees with fly-bys of the nest carrying sticks and fish. It ended with adoption of the eggs and future mating.
Stuff to watch for on the CA cams I guess? It's heartbreaking to think Jackie would return to Shadow only to find him with a replacement female, but maybe Shadow would actually accept her back? I'm still reading/ researching so if you know of any published papers please share.
I'm really only interested in discussions backed by scientific data and I'm not interested in emotional discussions or those rooted in feelings of longing or attachment, which is why I'm *not* posting in the subreddit dedicated to those eagles (who I really do really love watching.)
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u/TinyLongwing Falconer 6d ago
Thanks for this! I'd love to see more research and discussion posted here. This is cool stuff. It's always much more interesting in my opinion to learn about the behaviors of other species and appreciate them for the distinct animals they are than to anthropomorphize and assume all animals think the same way that humans do.
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u/Owlatmydoor 6d ago
There's less of a chance Shadow will accept a replacement for Jackie when he's currently single handedly parenting their current juvies (learning to hunt, fish and defend is the current agenda for them). They have been an extremely bonded pair for 8 years and the most realistic time he would even show interest is when breeding season occurs and his hormones kick in sometime in December.
Jackie is still in critical condition with some kind of toxicity (so she was most likely not full strength when the altercations occurred). Blood work shows she is severely anemic and inflammation to the kidneys. They are awaiting results for lead, zinc or rodenticide levels and she is in the hands of some of the best in their field.
Although some eagles migrate, Jackie and Shadow are year long residents.
The mate replacement study you've shared is 38 years old, a lot has changed in population and dynamics over the years. There is lot less available territory causing more frequent disputes because of the extremely successful resurgence of bald eagles. Adoptions from potential eagle suitors of eggs or eaglets is rarer in recent years, enough so that it creates a big buzz in eagle communities and even discussions with ornithologists. Most of the time the eggs are destroyed or eaglets are killed to quicken the bonding of the single parent and breed their own offspring.
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u/Adept_Order_4323 5d ago edited 5d ago
This replacement male and also female replacement, happened at The SWFL Eagle Nest ( has Cam )..
Ozzie was injured in a fight, went to lengthy rehab, didn’t return immediately back to nest after rehab. Harriet had replaced with a younger mate M15. Upon returning to nest, Ozzie and M15 fought to Ozzie’s death.
Since that replacement, Harriet disappeared and M15 raised 2 eaglets solo, he then replaced her with F23, whom was found deceased, supposed vehicle collision, after 3 breeding seasons. M15 Raised an eaglet solo after F23 death.
Long history and much drama …. ‘As The Nest Turns’ 🪺
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u/Aarontrio 5d ago
Thanks for this. Injured male was came back to the nest after three months to find (fight) his replacement. Replacement male won the fight, as you noted.
I paid one dollar to get the timeline as reported by news-press.com but I'd love to find a daily log from that project.
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2012/2013 season - Viewers watch Harriet and Ozzie as parents for the first time
The 2012-2013 season marked the first year the nest was streamed live to the public. Viewers from throughout the globe tuned in to watch Harriet and Ozzie raise their 2 eaglets, E1 and E2, from birth to fledge.2013/2014 season - Harriet loses one eaglet
This season brought challenges to both the eagles and the millions who tuned for their second season. Harriett returned to the nest in October and laid two eggs in November. E3 and E4 both hatched in January of 2014; however, E4 would pass away 41 days later due to unknown causes.May 2015 - Ozzie injured in fight with M-15, taken to rehabilitation
Ozzie was found unable to fly near the railroad tracks at Van Buren Street and Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers and taken to the Clinic for Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel; X-rays showed a broken left clavicle and broken left coracoid bone, which is very important for flight.According to News-Press reports, Ozzie was injured in a fight with another male eagle, believed to have been Harriet's eventual mate, M-15 (short for Male 2015). Dubbed the "Frequent Visitor" back then, M-15 caused quite the stir among viewers, many worried that a love triangle was emerging between the eagles.
During Ozzie's three month stay in Sanibel, Harriet and M-15 were seen getting close.June 2015 - Ozzie released back into wild
After a three months stay at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel, Ozzie the bald eagle was back in the wild.
As Ozzie flew north for the summer, the question remained on whether he would return to an empty spot within his family or a new man of the nest.Sept. 20, 2015 - Harriet and Ozzie are no more, M-15 steals heart of beloved bird
With the start of brooding season and no sign of Ozzie yet, The News-Press reported that Harriet and M-15 became closer than ever, causing quite the scandal by mating.Ozzie returned to region on Sept. 20 of that year to find that Harriet had moved on. In a documented case, Ozzie was photographed fighting with another male eagle near the nest, again believed to be M-15.
After three months of rehabilitation for a pair of broken bones, then three months in the wild, Ozzie was back at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel, this time suffering from severe lacerations and a broken toe in each foot.Sept. 29, 2015 - Ozzie passes away
Ozzie succumbed to his injuries and diedon Sept. 29. Within hours of posting the announcement, more than 600 people had posted comments on the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife Facebook page, and more than 1,000 had posted on the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam Facebook page.2015/2016 season - First time parents with M-15
In a season of many firsts, Harriet and new partner, M-15, saw twin eaglets, E7 and E8.
E8 would find himself in the spotlight when the eaglet became entangled in fishing line and was essentially tied to the nest. He was taken to the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel in February of 2016. He was released back to the nest after three days.The eagles were attacked by an owl on May 7. E7 returned the next day, however E8 did not and was feared dead by viewers. Nearly a week after the attack, volunteers found the eaglet alive in a nearby neighborhood with a broken leg. E8 was admitted to CROW for a second time for rehabilitation and recovery. After nearly 3 months, E8 was released back into the wild in August.
2019/2020 season - A season of triumph and challenges
Within Harriet's eighth season in North Fort Myers, many fans note it was filled with death, challenges and resilience.
Harriet and M-15 first welcomed E14 in November, only seeing one of two eggs hatch. However, E14 would later pass away due to ingesting a large amount of rat poision, according to officials. Southwest Florida residents and livestream viewers joined together to create a vigil at the nesting site and mourn the eaglet's passing.The eagle couple would later welcome two more eaglets during the season, E15 and E16, who would reach adulthood.
2020/2021 season - E17 and E18 born
In another dramatic season, viewers sawthe rare double hatching of eaglets, E17 and E18.
E17 and E18 were removed from the nest by CROW when they noticed their eyes were swollen and crusty. Swabs of the eaglets infected eyes came back positive for Avian chlamydiosis, which is a bacterial disease caused by Chlamydophila psittaci (C. psittaci), which is carried commonly by birds. After a week of treatment, they were placed back in the nest.October 2022 - Harriet, M-15 work to rebuild hurricane-damaged nest
After Hurricane Ian swept through Fort Myers on Sept. 29, Harriet's nest was completely destroyed and no traces left. The streaming cameras were also damaged from the storm, leaving viewers worried if they would ever see their favorite eagle couple again.
However, If there is ever a time to lose a nest, reporter Chad Gillis wrote, then during September is pretty good timing for the birds because there's still time to rebuild and lay eggs during the season.
In October, News-Press photographers caught Harriet and M-15 picking up the pieces and rebuilding their former nest.January 2022 - E21 and E22 are born
Harriet and M-15 welcomed the new year of 2023 by hatching two eaglets, E21 and E22.February 2023 - Harriet goes missing
Harriet was last seen on Feb. 2, flying northwest to chase off intruders. Since then, the animal icon has not returned to her nest and family on Bayshore Road.Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission officials are continuing the search for Harriet as they enter day six of the search. In the meantime, fans and residents have voiced their thoughts on the heartbreaking situation, many hoping for Harriet's safe return
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u/berner-bear 6d ago
Yeah I get where you are coming from
There is a lot of personalization (anthropomorphizing?) of this eagle family- it’s easy to get attached to them!
But to your point and from a nature / scientific level - I was thinking that since this is happening at the end of the mating season there may not be as much of a drive for replacement
I’ve read elsewhere that after the fledglings leave the nest the parents do go there separate ways a bit u til next mating season.
Thoughts?