GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from Feb. 23, prior to the events in this article.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources shared a sad update Wednesday on the status of the stars in their popular EagleCam live stream.
On Monday, Feb. 28, one of the two eggs that were laid earlier in February broke after the male eagle stood up in the nest to switch incubation duties with the female eagle, the DNR said.
Experts believe the egg got stuck to the male's brood patch, which is a bare spot of skin that helps keep eggs warm while nesting. In an update, the DNR said "We don't know if the egg was already broken when the male stood up, or if it happened earlier."
The first egg arrived on Feb. 15, followed by a second egg about three days later. The incubation period for eagle eggs is about 35 days, but because the DNR isn't sure which egg broke - the first or second - the time frame for when the remaining eaglet will hatch is hard to predict.
The DNR said "egg watch" will begin on March 22, and because there is only one chick left to care for, its chance of survival should go up significantly.
The unfortunate egg update came days after the EagleCam nest residents spent days riding out a major winter storm. Videos and photos of the eagles buried up to their beaks while protecting their two eggs had some people concerned for their survival. But the DNR said the birds have adapted to stay safe and healthy.
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