The Forest Preserve District of Will County has welcomed some new arrivals, with the birth of five eaglets over the past three weeks.
Two confirmed nests in Will County preserves
The forest preserve says there are two confirmed nests. On April 4, three eaglets were spotted in one nest. This is the second time in three years that particular nest has had seen the birth of three babies. Then on April 14, two more eaglets were seen at a second nest.
Eagles use the same nest year after year adding some additions and improvements. They typically are 4 feet to 5 feet wide, and can be up to 4 feet deep. When the nest gets too big it will either fall out of the tree or make the tree collapse due to the weight. The eagles will then relocate.
Eagle population growing in the area
Joel Craig, a volunteer with the Forest Preserve District of Will County, has been monitoring the eagle population in the area and their nesting activity for the past few years. He says the rise in the number of eagles locally is partly due to the fact that Will County has good, clean water and a healthy fish population.
“To see eagles rebound like they have in this area in the past 10 years has been pretty exciting,” Craig said. “To be threatened and endangered when I was a kid to what we’re seeing now, it’s really a population explosion in our area over the past few years.
Nests locations kept hidden
The nest locations are kept hidden and are federally protected. Human interference could disrupt the birds and force them to abandon their nests and their eggs. For those that do spot a nest, the National Audubon Society recommends staying at least 330 feet away.
Photo courtesy: Chad Merda
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