West Virginia bald eagle chick killed by father within hours of hatching

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SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — A chick hatched at the bald eagle nest at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, but its life was cut short after “unexpected behavior” from the father.

The NCTC said in a Facebook post Tuesday that the chick hatched around 11:30 a.m. on Monday and was fed its first meal by its mother before 5 p.m. However, about two hours later, the father “seemed confused,” “was rough with the eaglet,” and “ultimately consumed the hatchling.”

The center said that although the chick’s death is “heartbreaking,” it’s not uncommon for birds of prey to attack or even eat their young and that it has been seen in other nests.

“It is best not to think of birds of prey in human terms and having human emotions. Bald eagles are naturally predatory and aggressive; that’s the only way they can survive,” the post said.

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