If you missed Big Bear’s viral bald eagle couple hatching their adorable eaglets at the beginning of March, you’re in luck, because we found another animal livestream where you can watch eaglets hatch in real-time. Eagle parents Scout and Bella are welcoming three new chicks to their nest on the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) campus near Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Bald eagle fanatics watched the first chick hatch at 3:56pm on March 20, 2025. According to comments from livestream viewers, this was the first egg that was laid on February 10th.
Eggs usually incubate for 35-38 days before hatching. Based on that range, here’s when each egg was laid along with its estimated hatch window. After a “pip” or crack appears, the eaglet will usually hatch within 24-48 hours.
- Egg 1 was laid on February 10th. It hatched at 3:56pm ET on March 20, 2025.
- Egg 2 was laid on February 13th. It may hatch between March 20-23, 2025
- Egg 3 was laid on February 16th. It may hatch between March 23-26, 2025
How to watch the bald eagles hatching live
Camera 1
This camera angle will give you a close-up view of the bald eagle nest.
Camera 2
Check this camera angle for a wide shot of the nest and surroundings.
Join the conversation
Bald eagle fans are using the following sources to share updates about the NCTC bald eagle nest:
- Outdoor Channel – This website includes links to the live cams and a discussion forum.
- “Live From the Eagle’s Nest” Studio Broadcasts – Follow for updates from experts via a bi-weekly broadcast.
- Bald Eagles 101 Facebook page – Eagle fans provide updates about the NCTC nest and several others.
What to expect on the livestream
According to the Loudon Wildlife Conservancy, bald eagle hatchlings reach a “full hatch” when the baby bird is completely free from the shell. It will have pink skin and look damp, but the chick’s light down will dry and fluff up within a few hours. Although the hatchlings’ vision will be very poor at first, they’ll start to see, bob their heads, and interact more with their parents after a week or so.
Eagle parents will usually start feeding their hatchlings after the first 24 hours. Bald eagles tend to eat fish, small mammals like squirrels and rats, reptiles, carrion, and waterfowl. The eaglets will gain between 1/2 to 1 pound of weight for the first 10 weeks of life, and will grow to about one foot tall by the third week.
Importantly, bald eagle eggs are not guaranteed to hatch. Bald eagle website Elfruler analyzed wild nests between 2006-2020, and found that 96% of 3-egg clutches hatched at least one egg, and 63% hatched all three. So, there’s a chance that we won’t see all three of Scout and Bella’s eggs hatch.
Gentle warning for some “circle of life” moments…
It’s also worth being prepared for some sad moments if you watch the livestream, as this is a wild eagle nest and anything can happen. Those of us who watched the Big Bear live cam will be well aware of this, as one of the three eaglets tragically did not survive a winter storm last week.
West Virginia eagles Bella and Scout laid a clutch of three eggs last year too, but dad Scout unfortunately exhibited some “unexpected behavior” and ended up consuming one of the hatchlings to the shock and dismay of many livestream viewers. As the NCTC wrote in a Facebook post, “Bird behavior is complex and driven by hormones and instinct. 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.