Bald eagles typically lay one to three eggs per clutch, with an average of just under two eggs per clutch. In rare cases, a bald eagle may lay four eggs, but this is not common. The eggs are laid at 3-day or 4-day intervals, with the first egg usually laid between noon and midnight.

Bald Eagle Egg Laying Patterns

Bald eagles typically lay their eggs in the late fall or early winter, depending on their geographic location. The egg-laying period can vary significantly across different regions:

• In Florida, egg laying may start as early as October and as late as April, with most incubations initiated from December through January.
• In the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland, egg laying starts in December, with most birds incubating by the last week of January through the end of February.
• In the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, most of the egg laying occurs in the second half of April.
• In the Yellowstone ecosystem of Wyoming, eagles laid eggs from early March through mid-April, with birds nesting at higher elevations starting to lay eggs later than those nesting at lower elevations.
• In Arizona, eagles start to lay eggs in January through late mid-February.
• In the country of Mexico, eagles appear to initiate egg laying from late December through early January.
• In Alaska and the Yukon Territory, the egg-laying period extends from late April through the end of May, peaking in the second week of May.

Incubation and Hatching

Image source: Flickr

The incubation period for bald eagle eggs is approximately 35 days, and both parents take turns incubating the eggs to keep them warm and protected from the elements. Once the eaglets hatch, they are covered in a light gray down and have limited mobility. The female parent does the majority of the brooding while the male parent provides most of the food for the family.

Sibling Rivalry

Aggressive behavior can occur between the eaglets, with the oldest and largest eaglet often trying to dominate or even kill its sibling(s). This is a natural behavior as the eaglets compete for resources and parental attention.

Conclusion

In summary, bald eagles typically lay one to three eggs per clutch, with an average of just under two eggs per clutch. The eggs are laid at 3-day or 4-day intervals, and both parents take turns incubating the eggs. Once the eaglets hatch, they face sibling rivalry as they compete for resources and parental attention.

References:
– Eagles.org. (n.d.). What is the average number of eaglets per nest? Bald Eagles normally lay one to three eggs per year.
– Elfruler.com. (2017). EGG-LAYING TIMINGS | Bald Eagles.
– Avianreport.com. (n.d.). Bald Eagle Eggs: Appearance, Egg-Laying, Incubation, and Egg Care.
– Suttoncenter.org. (n.d.). Live Bald Eagle Nest Camera.