| |
Nest Building
Eagles return to breed on the same nesting site year after year, adding to and repairing an existing nest. Both the male and female carry materials to the nest, but the female does most of the placement. They weave the sticks and fill in the cracks with softer materials such as grass, moss, or cornstalks.
The eagle pair usually constructs the nest in the crux of a tall tree located on the edge of a forested area near a body of water with plenty of fish.
The shape of the nest can be cone-shaped, circular, bowl-shaped, or a somewhat flat with an indentation, two or three feet deep in the center. This part of the nest, called the bole, is where the eggs will be laid, and is lined with soft grasses and the eagles' down feathers. The nest, also called an aerie, is usually 6 feet in diameter and can weigh over a thousand pounds. It is constantly being upgraded and grows larger and heavier during the nesting season and as the years pass.
|
