TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Recent eagle hatchlings in Bartlesville have become, quite possibly, part of the most famous family in Oklahoma.
The family of bald eagles living in Bartlesville is being monitored by a camera from the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center. The camera faces the nest and over the last few weeks, people from across the state and world have had access to watching these birds.
The eagle pairing initially laid three eggs, when eagles typically lay two. Two eggs hatched, but one of the hatchlings has unfortunately disappeared, predicted to have fallen out of the nest.
While one hatchling may not seem important to some, it's a remarkable achievement compared to 40 years ago when the Sutton Center was founded.
Bald eagles weren't reported in northeast Oklahoma at the time, which only contributes to the fame of this eagle's nest.
"We were tasked with the goal of bringing back that Southern bald eagle. They said if you could have 10 nests, you can count 10 nests, we're gonna call that success, mission accomplished. Here we are today. Our bald eagle survey team has over 300 nests in Oklahoma alone that are successful in producing young each year, and that's a that's a huge monument," said Daniel Harris, a representative of the Sutton Center.
For bird watchers, conservation enthusiasts, and researchers at the center, the first few weeks of watching the nest on camera have been very exciting with the laying of the eggs and hatching.
However, the Sutton Center said things will get really exciting in the next few weeks as the hatchling grows. Soon, people will be able to watch the eagle's process of learning to fly.
To watch the live stream of the eagle's nest in Bartlesville, you can visit the Sutton Center's website.