Today I had five calls from people concerned that they are seeing baby eagles on the ground. My advice, “Just enjoy. Not many people get to see baby eagles.”
When baby eagles leave the nest, they find themselves down on the ground and don’t know what to do. Similar to baby birds’ fledgling, young eagles are exercising parts of their bodies they didn’t know they had. When on the ground, they use their wings for balance. Thus they learn how to do that as they walk around. Picture an activity that is a cross between calisthenics and yoga. That is what they are practicing.
At some point their instinct kicks in, and they get it. The more people get involved either by handling, feeding, or picking up eagles or any other bird, the more its instinct is delayed. What we think is helping often is not.
Remember, bird parents are always watching over their young, just like human parents. When you pick up a bird because you think it needs help, you are kidnapping it from its family.
Thanks for caring about the critters,
Patti