Nestflix & Chill: Watch For Bald Eagle Babies With This Live Cam

A couple of years ago, my mom's friend Barbara Hartman sent me a message that started an annual tradition (an obsession, really). As a former Pittsburgh resident, she loves all things Steelers, but this time of year, you will find her cheering for the Eagles. Bald Eagles, of course, she would never cheer for the Philadelphia kind!

She is cheering for bald eagles as she watches the U.S. Steel Pittsburgh Hays Bald Eagle Camera that streams live 24 hours, seven days a week.  The PixCam is attached to a tree about 5 miles from downtown Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River. The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania has been keeping track of a specific pair of eagles and their nesting action since 2013.

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According to the live stream description, this is the most recent nest history:

• The nest was constructed in 2019.
• In 2020, there was one confirmed eaglet that fledged
• In 2021, there were two confirmed eaglets that fledged.
• In 2022, there were two confirmed eaglets that fledged. USS 4 aka Rosie.
• In 2023, there was one confirmed eaglet that fledged. USS 6 aka Hop.
• In 2024, there was one confirmed eaglet that fledged. USS 7 aka Lucky.

Even though it seems too cold for the mama eagle to sit in a nest, it is actually prime time for Northern Bald Eagles to do so.  She should lay an egg any day now, I believe. Her "brood patch," which is a featherless area on her belly, combined with her hormones help keep the eggs nice and warm through wind, snow, and other wintry conditions.

With this live stream, you can watch as they prepare the nest and when the eggs are laid. If you're lucky, you can catch them as they hatch and grow before flying away.  The whole process only takes about four months. When the sun goes down on the nest, the camera switches to an infrared camera so you can still see what is happening at night.

Last night, as soon as it got dark, both eagles began working on moving sticks and leaves to perfect the nest. At times, it even looked like they were bickering like an old married couple. It was adorable and so funny.

I did not expect to become so interested in this! I keep checking it throughout the day because it really is exciting to watch as the Eagles come and go.  I can see why this has become a tradition for Barb and others each year. This eagle cam would be fun for a family or classroom of kiddos to keep an eye on. You could even make predictions as to when the eggs will arrive or hatch.