April 18, 2019
Researcher Gary Bortolotti wrote that bald eagles might gain more weight per day than any other North American bird. The majority of their weight gain occurs within the first 30 to 40 days of their lives, and is fueled by their nutrient-rich diet of meat. D32 has just gorged itself on more food than it can stomach! It will store the food in its crop until it is ready to transfer it to its stomach for digestion. This mini \'pantry\' helps assure that the rapidly growing eaglets get the nutrients and calories they need, when they need them.
D32 and D33 are 14 and 11 days old today. As they move through their second week of life, they will gain two pounds, or 4.5 ounces per day! This results in a noticeable size difference, since 3 days = 13.7 ounces, or almost a pound! D32, left, is larger and greyer than sibling D33, right.
