Eaglets from 4 to 6 weeks from Hatch
The middle of May saw the young birds show some real changes in their appearance. Feathers could now be seen on both young, and they were now turning from a darker gray to a dark brown color, almost appearing black in the shade or on overcast days. One interesting observation in the 3rd week of May was that there was a difference in plumage between the 2 young. One young had a slightly grayer look than the other, presumably older, darker sibling. 4 days later, the color change was no longer apparent.
Two things to observe while looking at the above photos:
The Eaglet
is standing in about the same place in both photos. Look how closer
the head
is to the upper branch in the 31 May photo. That’s probably
a 2 to 3 inch
growth spurt
in
11 days!
Can you see what is happening to the White
Pine tree where the nest is located
during this time period?
The photo shows an Eaglet in the nest in the sun. It wouldn’t
be easy to spot
this bird if it weren’t for the pale yellow and shiny reflection of
the beak.
Why do you think the young of many species of birds are brown or
dark colored?
