April 5, 2018
D31 hatched at 11:44 PM CDT last night and was recruited into the pecking order competition early this morning! Watchers worried that it was missing meals, but Mom and Dad made sure that everyone got fed in between the bonking battles and beakdowns.
So how much larger is D29 than either of its siblings? Eaglets go from about 3.2 ounces to 16 ounces in their first seven days of life. If we assume an that each eaglet gains about 2 ounces per day, D29 should be roughly 10 ounces, D30 should be roughly 8 ounces, and D31 should be roughly 4 ounces. D29 has more than doubled in size in four days, and its coordination and bite capability have increased noticeably. On April 1st, Mom and Dad needed to lever small bites into D29's gaping mouth. Four days later, we saw D29 lunge for larger bites that Mom and Dad dangled from their beaks. Like sitting up, leg color change, and beak bonking, feeding proficiency is an important milestone along the road from hatch to fledge!