The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently announced the return of their massively popular EagleCam camera, giving curious members of the public the opportunity to watch a live feed from an eagle's nest in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
This unique wildlife camera is part of the Minnesota DNR's Nongame Wildlife Program, which deals with creatures beyond the scope of the state's hunting programs.
The camera got its start as it was installed in December of 2012 to capture the happenings in a large eagle's nest in the Twin Cities area during nesting season (which runs from late fall through spring).
In the time of the initial installation, live-feed webcams weren't as common - especially in the world of wildlife cameras. Since then, the camera has grown in popularity, giving researchers and the public a look inside of an active nest.
The camera has captured lots of activity, including several hatches of young eagles over the years.
The EagleCam grabbed some headlines in April of 2023, when the nest fell from the tree it was in. The DNR says they aren't 100% sure why the nest fell, but they believe it was likely due to heavy snow adding weight to the dead branch that supported the nest.
That particular nest was over 20 years old, about 6 feet in circumference, and over 2,000 pounds.
It was initially reported that the DNR planned to install a new EagleCam to view a different location, though there were apparently some technical issues that prevented this. That doesn't mean there won't be any EagleCam to check out this year, though!
This year, the DNR says the EagleCam will be turned on once again in the same location as last year. This, despite the nest having fallen from the tree. In a Facebook post, the DNR says the camera will be used this year to scan the larger habitat in that area, which is a space known to still be regularly visited by the same eagles that used to call the nest home.
The EagleCam will be turned on Thursday, November 16 for Give to the Max Day. You can see the camera and learn more on the DNR's EagleCam website.
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Gallery Credit: Nick Cooper - TSM Duluth