April 12, 2019
D32 took a bathroom break this morning as Mom came into the nest. It bent over, pointed its rear end, and let it fly, shooting poop right out of the egg cup! Way to go, D32 - you are pooping like a big eaglet now!
So why is this a milestone? Eaglets instinctively shoot poop out of the nest. It keeps the nest cleaner - who wants to lay in poop? - and helps prevent gastrointestinal parasites. But to shoot poop, eaglets have to be good at standing up, leaning over, elevating their bottoms, and aiming for the outside. A good poopshoot takes coordination, strength, and balance, making it an important milestone on the road from hatch to fledge!