Decorah North Bald Eagles - Sad Story of Hawk Chick on Eagles' Nest. 14 May 2021

It was very late on Friday night when KZbin proposed a video which intrigued me - 'Adoption or Dinner?' published by explore.org. I watched it and, at the end of the video, it suggested to watch the live stream if anybody wanted to see the rest, so I sneaked back into the bedroom, trying not to wake my partner, got on my Mac and recorded some of the event. I could not work on any videos yesterday as I was not feeling great, but I have finally managed to edit the footage.
Although I have not recorded any particularly sensitive footage, I would caution viewers - I know it filled my heart with infinite sadness, even though we know nature has its cruel moments. I was very interested, though, in watching the eaglets' reaction to this little unexpected guest and, above all, Mr North's (one of my favourite male eagles) reaction.
DNF had brought two hawk chicks (also called eyases or eyasses) to the nest and had fed one to DN13 and DN14, then left. Mr North arrived and he looked very puzzled by this young creature. There was some hesitation before the eagle started aerating the nest and then brooded the hawk chick. Seeing that no food was coming, the eaglets settled quietly by dad. Mr North moved to the ladder branch a couple of times but returned to look after the little guest. There was also some interaction on the part of one of the eaglets but it didn't look aggressive. For some of the time, DN13 and DN14 were alone with the chick but seemed to mostly mind their own business. At one stage, however, the little chick got annoyed at being slightly pecked and moved to the edge of the nest, where it seemed to go to sleep.
DNF brought a pheasant and fed her eaglets, but paid no attention to the little hawk. She later returned and, this time, she focused her attention on the eyass, who appeared to be still asleep. She then moved the creature closer to the ladder branch but looked unsure what to do for a while. She was pulling the little chick, who tried to defend itself, and prodding it with her talons. Unfortunately, the little hawk ended up on the dinner table (I have not included this).
I have been left wondering whether the story would have been different if the little one had started cheeping for food. Mr North's behaviour suggested to me that his hormonal instincts, this being nesting season, prompted him to protect the small creature, but I would really like to have the opinion of an expert.
Link to the Decorah North live stream: • Decorah Eagles - North...
For the nesting history: docs.google.com/document/d/1B...
Should you wish to donate to the worthy Raptor Resource Project, please visit their website: www.raptorresource.org/
This non profit organisation specialises in the preservation of falcons, eagles, ospreys, hawks, and owls.

[@Luceforall]

Sometimes, it can turn into a success story! A hawklet was brought as prey into a bald eagle's nest and got adopted! Lady Hawk has been following the events in her channel - here is one instance of friendship between Malala (the hawklet) and Junior (the eaglet). kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpzJo5empt9jhM0

[@Arieskie]

I’ve watched both vids- spunky and junior. I also wonder if had the hawklet begged for food, it would have been adopted. Food, I think, was plentiful that year, and the eagle’s hormones were definitely kicking in- both types, I think- feed the young or adopt another young.

[@Luceforall]

@@Arieskie Yes, food would have had a pivotal role, in the outcome, as well as the hormones. It's not unheard of, that animals of another breed get adopted. You know, I have just read that Junior had killed its sibling, yet it turned so friendly towards the hawklet... nature offers many puzzles!

[@yywant-qb7om]

It's a miracle that the two brothers didn't eat the foreign baby eagle.

[@ringdoorbell3223]

SHARON SHNEYER, That's exactly what I was going to comment on Luce was the GROWLS nest in British Columbia where Mala was. I watched that last year, and was sorry they turned off the cam after Junior was electrocuted on the power pole. I would have loved to learn about Mala's reaction and if she still came back to the nest for a time. Thank you so much for putting together this video as heart breaking as it was. Dr Christian Sasse (maybe David Hancock of the Hancock Wildlife Forum may have made a trip as well) to document what was going on.

[@Luceforall]

Yes, I can understand being deprived of the Mala experience after Junior's demise. I did not follow personally, but watched some of Lady Hawk's videos. I have watched more stories of adopted hawk chicks of late, on KZbin. One eagle family adopted two chicks, but one did not survive and the cause of death is not known, but such things do exist! Amazing.

[@socal20001]

The hawk and the eaglets were getting along great.

[@southerngal4655]

I was saddened by this as well. At the time I was hoping against hope it would end differently just as I had hoped Daisy the ducks eggs would have been spared. 😢 Thank you for ur discression in preparing this vid.

[@yourdaddy6030]

You mean discretion right?? Not disgression.

[@eaglelove00]

Had the eaglets been about the same stage in growth, and the hawklet chirping for food, I do bet things would have been different. That would have been amazing to watch on cam as we have seen hawklets raised alongside eaglets before but not on cam (as far as I know). It's too bad the eaglets were already too big for that to happen. Thanks for the footage Luceforall and the professional way you did it. I was sure hoping we were going to see a different outcome but I think most of us knew, probably was not going to be good.

[@Luceforall]

Yes, Eagle Love - I have watched footage of baby hawks being raised in eagles' nests and also fledging. However sadly it ended, it was interesting to see the eaglets' reactions to this little creature. PS: I will soon work on a video of the Redding trio :)

[@joanadesousa9156]

Hi la went i see then for sure what I have no idea how much now everything is going on the phone?"they got in my name can and they not even know how to get a new one andI have to do no rush and we

[@Luceforall]

@@joanadesousa9156 Hi Joana! I am afraid I cannot understand well. Perhaps you can write in your own language (Spanish? Portuguese?) and I use Google Translate :)

[@melplishka5978]

Ya their is footage of one I’ve seen. I’ll see if I can find it.

[@0minous187]

there is a story of a hawk that was taken in for diner but was adopted instead even fledged

[@shannon7358]

Sad thing to hear but it is nature. 😔

[@debo6795]

RIP brave little hawk chick

[@Terri_Stauffer]

This was sad for hawk but part of nature.

[@Luceforall]

Yes, watching eagles for two years (also through other video makers publications) has taught me a lot. I think it was the behaviour of the male, Mr North, which touched me, otherwise I probably would have not recorded and posted at all. For many of us, night has the strange effect of intensifying feelings :)

[@user-tt2fs4oq4n]

너무 슬퍼서 볼수가 없어요 생태계는 어쩔수 없나 보네요

[@fasco2]

I know it is nature and hawks are raptors like eagles, but this is too hard for me to watch. 😢 The little hawk was probably disoriented and confused and hungry having been taken from it’s nest and loosing a sibling. Sad that its little life was cut short. Nature isn’t cruel but sometimes it’s unkind. RIP little hawklet.

[@Luceforall]

I agree with you and I refrained from showing certain scenes. It is difficult to erase one's emotions on the grounds that such is nature!

[@yourdaddy6030]

Gee ya think??

[@dawnpowers6233]

Poor baby

[@dawnpowers6233]

Strange dad had instinct to protect but mom didn't, but mom's instinct to to feed her babies.

[@Luceforall]

Nature certainly has some surprising sides. It has happened before that eagles have raised hawk chicks - there are a couple of videos with such stories. Who knows, maybe the reaction of the female would have been different if the hawk chick had been crying for food, but I am just a fascinated viewer and by no means an expert.

[@quoquo100]

Go little hawk

[@j-sin3344]

I like the video where the live Hawk actually survives to actually fledge the nest w/ the 2 or 3 Eagles, IDK if it was a Bald Eagle, buy anyway it came as food and left a family member.

[@Luceforall]

It was a Bald Eagle nest - Malala the hawk was good friends with the only eaglet on that nest, Junior, and fledged successfully. Happy ending for the hawk but not the eaglet, who regrettably died electrocuted.

[@eloraprettyman3268]

Very sad, I couldnt watch.

[@fasco2]

Me neither 😢

[@parakeet8157]

8:47 o geeeez🥺😭 RIP Brave lil' Hawk💔

[@Cindy-lr6su]

It's sad how nature works in the wild Question who put this baby hawk in the eagles nest?

[@sharonwise3433]

💔

[@angelicap2736]

😭

[@brendaboudreau4103]

Are they any relation to Oliver North? This is so so sad I can't even watch it. ☹️

[@Luceforall]

no

[@ocean694]

Such is nature, same as we humans eating cows, pigs, fish, chicken....

[@Luceforall]

Yes, and the eagles do not have a butcher :)

[@Gitn2it]

@@Luceforall Yep. They like their meat raw and in some cases, eaten alive. 😬

[@elizabethtatum-soprano]

Bleh - sad, but nature

[@user-cb3ow4mq8w]

妈妈以为是自己的孩子，期实鹰妈还是善良的只是没有足够的食物给两个宝宝吃才变成这样的。😭

[@Cindy-lr6su]

It's sad how nature works in the wild

[@rosehernandez475]

Poor baby hawk

[@Luceforall]

I found it terribly sad but I thought it was amazing that Mr North was actually looking after it.

[@piroskasarosi]

The reason is :the lack of food in the area

[@Luceforall]

I have a feeling fish is not always available, in that stream.

[@melplishka5978]

If the eaglets were the same age and if the hawk started crying for food he would have been adopted. I have seen it a lot lol.

[@maryj560]

Have to say ..teared up, but this is nature and we are just looking in. Still happy we have the cams. RIP lil hawklet. I cried a tear ,God wiped it dry.

[@dannysavagedraftguru]

That was far from the over the baby eaglets ate that hawk while it was alive.

[@rosehernandez475]

Leave the baby hawk omg 😭😭😭😭😭the wonder the hawks...

[@marklags2396]

Dad sees an extra hitter on the whiffle ball team, Mom sees dinner for the kids. Nature as it's finest.

[@Luceforall]

Nature at its finest and most controversial :)

[@yourdaddy6030]

Why call it a sad story?? It's just nature. No emotion should be attached to it. It might be sad for us to see this but the eagles have to eat too right?? So what would you rather see?? The eaglets starve or the hawk chick get eaten??

[@Luceforall]

Of course the feeling is from a human point of view. After watching various nests for three full breeding seasons, and numerous animal documentaries, I am perfectly aware of the eat or be eaten law of nature and so forth... even baby foxes brought alive to eagles' nest and being eaten while they scream. Still, it is sad to human eyes, even if unavoidable. Well, humans can be guilty of cruelty too, for that matter, and without the excuse of pure necessity - just think of what we do to lobsters!

[@ummuhammed7691]

يلي بتصور ليش ما انقذته😡😥💔

[@nadia9235]

الصغنن 🐥مع الوحوش ال3🦅🦅🦅😿

[@agl1138]

This is not sad for the Eagles. As for the suggestion that there was some protective instinct at work here, these are wild animals. They are not very intelligent and are easily confused, especially when their hormones are activated by the presence of their offspring. Fortunately, they quickly worked out that this was food and ate it.

[@Luceforall]

Yes, it was only sad for people's emotions, despite knowing what raptors are like. They can be slow at assessing situations and yes, their intelligence is limited. However, there have been documented cases of eagles adopting hawk chicks (well, we have instances of other wild animals adopting young of other species) and it has been suggested it has to do with hormones.

[@Slopoketurtle]

Wow, and what makes you such an authority on intelligence, Alex Lawson?? One thing you are obviously not an authority on is compassion lol 😉

[@firstlast5681]

Thumbs down because of your title ! this is nature , you know LIFE

[@Luceforall]

Yes, I know what nature is like and I have witnessed many a time the brutal side to it - you see many things when you watch raptors for two years. However, as a human being, my reaction was one of immense sadness, possibly intensified by the feeble glimmer of hope the behaviour of the male eagle offered. The organisation behind the camera, explore.org, chose their title well - "Adoption or Dinner?"

[@Luceforall]

Sometimes, it is adoption - Lady Hawk has followed the events in her channel - the hawklet was brought in as prey and ended up as part of the eagle family. I have seen an episode where the eaglet even helped the hawklet feed! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpzJo5empt9jhM0

[@childoftherisenone8566]

Jesus loves YOU and He will save you from your sins. Trust Him today as your Lord and Savior 🙏 don't miss Heaven 💗

[@Cindy-lr6su]

It's sad how nature works in the wild