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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

eagle breeding age (1 Viewer)

red fox

Active member
i have learned alot from reading the messages already so i hope u can help me with this question -

why does it take an eagle up to 5 years b4 it can breed but something like an osprey which doesn't seem much smaller can breed much younger?

thanks for your help;)
 
i have learned alot from reading the messages already so i hope u can help me with this question -

why does it take an eagle up to 5 years b4 it can breed but something like an osprey which doesn't seem much smaller can breed much younger?

thanks for your help;)

I do not know about eagles but in ospreys the breeding age seems very dependant on whether nesting sites are available. As the density of ospreys increases there is more fighting over nesting sites and birds tend to nest later. At Rutland in 2003 a young female osprey called 06 (01) successfully raised two chicks even though the books said this should not happen. See http://www.ospreys.org.uk/Breeding2003C.htm

Maybe it is similar with eagles.
 
If an immature Golden Eagle meets a suitable breeding partner and they are able to obtain and keep a reasonable hunting territory, then they can breed together as young as 3 years old. Most however when breeding for the first time at this early age will not raise young to flying and usually fail at the egg stage. It can take a new pair several seasons before they successfully raise young to the flying stage.

nirofo.
 
The Irish Golden Eagle programme was unusual with it's success last year with a relatively juvenile pair as it's not unusual for birds to be 5+ years old before a chick makes it out of the nest in the wild.
 
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