After its sister pushed it out of the nest, an eagle baby seen on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ EagleCam was killed.
The DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Program was notified at 1 p.m. on Saturday that the chick had been pushed out of the nest, which is about 75 feet above the ground.
For treatment, the chick was transferred to the Minnesota Raptor Center in St. Paul.
According to the DNR, it became “quiet and sluggish” during the duration of the checkup and had problems breathing owing to a head trauma, with blood ultimately pouring from its nares (nostrils).
The chick was also suffering from a damage to its left wing that surgery couldn’t fix.
“The juvenile bird was humanely terminated to reduce suffering due to the very bad prognosis due to the complicated fracture and progressively worsening indicators of internal damage,” the DNR noted.
“At the very least, knowing the chick didn’t have to suffer with her injuries for a long period is consoling,” it continued.
The DNR told the media that the nest had been issued because the male parent had not been seen since Tuesday, causing a food shortage and possibly causing sibling aggression.
The chick that died was most likely going to die of famine anyhow, and its demise increases the odds that the female and the remaining chick would survive.
