EagleCam FAQs
Where is the nest located?
The EagleCam nest is located in the Twin Cities Metro Area along the Mississippi River.
How long has the EagleCam been streaming?
The EagleCam began streaming in December 2013 with one camera, now labeled as the habitat camera. The newer camera, labeled as the nest camera, began streaming in October 2024.
Who runs the EagleCam?
The EagleCam is run by the Minnesota Nongame Wildlife Program, a wildlife conservation program within the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources that works to ensure a future for the state's rare and vulnerable wildlife.
Why are there two cameras?
The EagleCam features a nest camera and a habitat camera, located at two different sites, providing an opportunity to view two different bald eagle pairs. The habitat camera is the original EagleCam, which followed a nesting pair of bald eagles for ten years until their nest fell in April 2023. We have continued to stream this camera, as the originally featured bald eagle pair still visits the territory and can occasionally be seen on the habitat camera, as well as other birds.
A new camera was installed at a new location in October 2024. This camera, which can be viewed on the nest camera tab, offers a close view of an active bald eagle nest. A pair has been using nests in this territory for about five years, and in 2025 the pair successfully fledged two eaglets from the nest featured on camera.
The camera keeps buffering, what should I do?
Try the following troubleshooting steps.
- Reload the webpage.
- Clear your cache of recent browser data.
- Try a different browser.
- Restart your computer.
I know a perfect nest for an EagleCam! Do you want to know about it?
Thank you so much for wanting to share this with us! We deeply appreciate your enthusiasm and thank you for thinking of us. We are not looking for a new location for our EagleCam, but if that changes we will announce a request for locations on our Facebook page and over email. Follow us on Facebook and sign up for our EagleCam newsletter to stay up to date.
How do I get an EagleCam?
Live nature webcams are still a new engagement tool in the world of nature education. There are a number around the country, including ours, and each one runs a bit differently. Our EagleCam is a complex endeavor requiring significant coordination and funds. Power, internet and physical access availability at nests tend to be the immediate limiting factors for most nest locations. The Minnesota Nongame Wildlife Program uses high-end security cameras to view the eagles, which require a reliable power source and reliable, strong internet connectivity to run. For an EagleCam, these generally require large bucket trucks to install and maintain as eagle nests are often located in tall trees, 100 feet up from the ground.
However, putting up a wildlife camera for personal viewing can be far more simple. There are many trail cameras or USB connected cameras that you can install at a bird feeder or somewhere on your property. You should not need a Federal or state permit as long as you follow the guidance provided by the USFWS and do not use the web cam for fund raising purposes.
Eagle FAQs
How many bald eagles are in Minnesota?
The last time the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Nongame Wildlife Program surveyed bald eagles in Minnesota was 2005. At the time, the survey identified over 800 active nests across the state, as well as 32 nests with adults present, and 464 inactive nests. Those numbers have likely increased over the last 20 years.
Bald eagles were removed from the U.S. federal endangered species list in 2007 and Minnesota's state list in 2013. Because the Nongame Wildlife Program is a small, but mighty wildlife conservation program, there is a limited capacity as to which wildlife species the program can monitor. The fact that the bald eagle has moved off our monitoring list, and stayed off for twenty years, is an incredible feat of conservation given their endangered status just a few decades ago.
When are bald eagles most active in Minnesota?
Bald eagles are active year-round in Minnesota.
Winter is a great time to see them along open water, particularly southeast Minnesota along the Mississippi River where currents prevent the water from freezing over. Winter is the start of their breeding season, so they are also active around their nests.
In the spring and fall, you may notice eagles and other raptors soaring overhead as they migrate to and from their winter habitat.
In the summer you may notice them around lakes and rivers capturing fish.
How many eggs do bald eagles lay? When do they lay their eggs?
1-3 eggs, usually in January.
What happens after an egg is laid?
Incubation lasts approximately 35 days from the laying of the last egg. Both parents participate in nest building, incubating the eggs and in caring for the young after they hatch, they switch off throughout the day. It is typically the female who spends the night on the nest.
Hatching begins when the first egg has a "pip", or small hole in the egg. Chicks are born with an egg tooth on their beak that helps them break out of their shell.
The young eagles begin to fly at three months of age (late May through early July). Four weeks or so after they have learned to fly, the young eagles leave the nest for good.
Why do the juvenile bald eagles look so different from their parents?
Bald eagles don't get their iconic "bald" head until they are five years old. As they age, their feathers transition from brown, to a mix of brown and white, before finally settling into their adult plumage.
How big is a bald eagle nest?
Bald eagle nests are commonly 6-8 feet across and usually weigh several hundred pounds. Eagles add on to their nests every year.
How can I tell a female bald eagle from a male bald eagle?
It is difficult to distinguish bald eagle males and females. However, females are typically 1/3 larger than males.
How long do bald eagles live?
Bald eagles can live 20-25 years in the wild.
What do bald eagles eat?
Bald eagles primarily eat fish. They also are scavengers and opportunistic hunters, eating prey like other birds and small mammals.