Second Baby Eagle Dies at Southwest Florida Eagle Cam Nest After Seizures
At 3 a.m. Tuesday, the last surviving baby eagle from a watched nest in Southwest Florida died during severe seizures. E-25 dropped from its branch, showing the same signs of distress that killed its sibling, E-24, just days before on Sunday.
Teams from the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife picked up the dead bird to run tests and find out what caused its death.
This is a sad moment for the live-streaming nest camera, which has shown wild bird life for more than ten years, letting people worldwide watch nature unfold.
“It’s amazing how the eagles have been able to handle everything that has been thrown at them. They’ve given me so much hope. This is one for the record books,” said Ginnie Pritchett McSpadden to the Cape Coral Breeze.
M15 and F23, the current eagle parents, took over after the first pair left. The original male, Ozzie, died from injuries in 2015, while Harriet went missing in 2023.
When Hurricane Ian hit last year, it destroyed their nest. But M15 and Harriet rebuilt, with her laying eggs before she disappeared. In an amazing show of parenting, M15 raised E21 and E22 by himself until they flew away.
The wildlife clinic that now has E-25 works as both a hospital and learning center, combining medical care with research and conservation efforts.
After years of successful breeding at this spot, both deaths have come as a blow. Tests should show what killed these young eagles so quickly.
Additional Sources:
https://www.nbc-2.com/article/second-eaglet-dies-famous-swfl-eagle-cam/63587506
https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/policy/files/HandlingEaglesHB2020.pdf