MN DNR ~ RARE Bald Eagle DUAL BROODING Of Chicks! Mom Pushes E2 Underneath Her Protecting From Rain!

April 6th 2021 ~ This was amazing to watch live as Mom and Dad DNR will both brood an eaglet protecting them from the rain! Dad is on the nest with the kids when the weather starts to turn bad and rain showers begin. He broods the oldest chick but the youngest is outside the nest bowl and can't get shelter under Dad. For the next 22 minutes, the youngest chick tries to get under Dad but can't so it snuggles up against him. You can see how conflicted Dad is - his instincts are telling him to keep brooding & yet he wants to get up to let the little baby get underneath. The chick's downy feathers are soaking wet - they both are still too young to have their 2nd coat of thermal down yet and can not thermoregulate so they must be protected from the elements.

Mom flies in to the nest at 12:21 and she immediately sees the plight of the wet baby! She pushes the eaglet underneath her and then the chick climbs the rest of the way under the warm and soft brood patch of Mom! Ahhhh so much better!!! ♥♥ Mom broods the youngest chick while Dad broods the oldest during the rain storm - this does not happen very often and is really amazing to watch. This is even more special knowing that Dad is a young first time Father and sub adult who has no experience in raising a family! Many times we have seen the female eagle trying to brood and shelter two chicks and sometimes nature is harsh and one chick will not make it due to hypothermia. Other times, one eaglet will get left out of the nest bowl and won't survive. Thankfully Mom came to the rescue!! When Dad gets up to leave, Mom will go to brood her other chick and the youngest will also climb right under her! Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

Courtesy of DNR Nongame Wildlife EagleCam

Mom laid egg#1 on Feb. 15th 2021 & egg#2 on Feb 20th. Egg #1 hatched on March 26th 2021 & egg #2 hatched on March 28th at 3:24 PM.