Bald eagle eats 2 of its hatchlings in West Virginia out of 'confusion', officials say

In a tragic turn of events, two baby bald eaglets that hatched this week at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, were killed by their bald eagle father, who ate them.

One of eaglets passed away Monday night, while the other died shortly after being born on Friday, the National Conservation Training Center said.

"While this behavior was unusual, there's much we don't know," NCTC said in a social media post Friday. "This nest has brought us joy for years, raising countless eaglets for two decades. While this year's nesting season was not easy, it has offered a rare glimpse into the complexities of nature and the challenges that bald eagles face."

A spokesperson of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed the death of the second hatchling to USA TODAY Friday and explained that such incidents, though rare, are not unusual, especially among birds of prey. The spokesperson added that the population of the bald eagle, which is also the national symbol of the United States, has continued to soar, with an estimated 316,700 individual bald eagles in the lower 48 states.

The population of the bald eagle has more than quadrupled since 2009, said the spokesperson, adding that the above estimate is based on the most recent survey done in 2019 and eagle populations are likely higher now.

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Father consumed eaglets in 'confusion', officials say

Earlier, in a social media post Tuesday, the NCTC had said that an eaglet passed away Monday night "despite a promising start," after its father "consumed" it in confusion.

The eaglet had hatched around 11:30 a.m. Monday at the center and was doing well, enjoying its first fish meal around 5 p.m., a photo of which the center shared on social media.

"Unfortunately, just about two hours after the female gently fed fish to the eaglet, the male bald eagle returned to the nest and exhibited unexpected behavior," said the center, adding that the 4.5-year-old male eagle was confused with the eaglet's presence.

The male eagle was rough with the eaglet and eventually consumed the hatchling.

Officials say behavior by bald eagle father isn't uncommon

"This behavior, while heartbreaking, has been observed in other nests and is not uncommon in birds of prey," the center had said. "Bird behavior is complex and driven by hormones and instinct."

"Bald eagles are naturally predatory and aggressive; that's the only way they can survive. Every day, they hunt to live," the center added.

While the hatchlings have died, the nest continues to be under protection at the center, which is a closed facility. Authorities have warned the public from causing any harm to the male eagle, emphasizing that the death of the two hatchlings is part of nature's cycle.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.