This amazing story shows how mothers’ love lasts even in the worst situations. A bald eagle in Shepherdstown, West Virginia named Bella, and her mate, Smitty returns to their nest 100 feet up in a large sycamore tree near the Potomac River every year since 2011 to raise their little ones.
In fact, the eagles are amazingly godparents, and even they can sit on the eggs to care for night and day 24/7. The female eagle can be seen sitting on the nest 80percent of the time, while the male typically does the hunting and fishing. When they lay their eggs, they have to endure all kinds of difficult conditions. From snow and hail to sleet and freezing rain. Even when a severe snowstorm rolls though the mama eagle doesn’t budge.
The eagles’ thick down feathers help them survive the cold temperatures, while their sharp beaks and talons allow them to fight off anyone who threatens the nest.
The female eagle is the larger one of the two, and must constantly care for the eggs so they hatch successfully. It means making sure the eggs are always touching the bare skin on her belly, known as the brood pouch, and turning the eggs every hour so they heat evenly. Also, the eggs rest on the dry grass so that they act as cozy bedding to rest.
When the eggs are hatched, it doesn’t mean that their work is done. The Youngers stay in the nest for about three more months while they gain the strength to fly and then even after leaving the nest their caring parents continue to feed them and teach them to hunt.
People around the world have been watching Smitty and Bella care for their babies on the National Conservation Training Center’s eagle nest live stream. Seeing their loyalty to their eggs couldn’t be a more touching reminder of a parent’s love!
