Viral Eaglets Growing Up on Live Cam Die From 90-Foot Fall After Storm Blows Nest Off Tree
Three young eaglets died after their nest at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center was blown out of its tree amid severe storms
The 22-year-old nest in West Virginia has attracted attention online since 2005, when a live cam was installed so that people could see the bald eagles in their natural habitat
While all three baby eagles died, their parents survived and have been seen at a secondary nest in the same tree
Three baby bald eagles that developed a devoted following online died when their nest was knocked out of a tree amid severe storms.
The eaglets were born in a 22-year-old nest in a tree at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. In 2005, a camera facing the nest was installed so that people could watch the bald eagles in their natural habitat. The camera allowed animal lovers to watch the baby eagles, born in spring 2025 to parents Bella and Scout, hatch and grow before their deaths.
On April 19, while severe storms passed through West Virginia, the eagle family's nest was blown to the ground and destroyed, with the eaglets still inside.
The National Training Conservation Center shared the sad news on Facebook.
"After 22 years, the bald eagle's nest at the USFWS National Conservation Training Center is gone," the center wrote.
Related: Beloved Bald Eagle Couple Welcomes 2 Chicks While Fans Watch Livestreamed Births
The post continued: "Sadly, none of the three eaglets survived the 90 ft. fall. They were four weeks old. Fortunately, both adult eagles appear to be ok and have been seen flying and perching in the nest tree."
In a live-streamed Q&A on YouTube, the following week, a team member from the center, Randy Robertson, shared that eagle mom Bella was in the nest when it was blown over and only managed to escape "at really the last microsecond."
He noted Bella could have been seriously injured had she not gotten away.
Unfortunately, flying out of the nest was not an option for the baby eagles. Robertson explained that an eaglet begins to fly around 12 weeks into its life.
While the storms destroyed the original nest, the eagle parents had begun building a secondary nest in the same tree in 2024.
"This new nest is in a very strong section of the tree and has minimal damage. We are hopeful the eagle pair will use this new nest to raise their young next season," the center wrote on Facebook.
The facility later confirmed that Bella and Scout "returned to the lower nest" and "started fixing the nest after the big windstorm last weekend."
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Related: The Bald Eagle Has Officially Been Named the National Bird of the United States
"Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your kind words and support during this difficult time. Your love and condolences mean so much to us as we all grieve the loss of our sweet beloved eaglets and their nest," the center added on Facebook.
Dedicated followers rushed to the comments section to react to the news, with some noting that they had a history with the now destroyed in the decades old nest, which housed numerous eagles over the years.
"I have watched this nest for 10 years or more now. I am so devastated by what happened, and my heart hurts for Bella, Scout, and the fallen angels," one person wrote. "To watch an eagle family daily, unite, grow, and bond is a blessing in itself. But to witness such a horrific event and in an instant see how this family was ripped apart is heartbreaking."
They continued, writing, "To most people, they are just birds, wildlife, you laugh and say…. things happen. To the Eagle community who have been there day in and day out, night after night, these beautiful creatures were part of our everyday lives."
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