DNR eagle cam finds broken egg in the nest; second egg intact

Minnesota wildlife officials say one of two eggs in the bald eagle nest featured on the Department of Natural Resources eagle cam livestream has broken.

In an update Wednesday, the DNR said it's the first time this has happened in the eagle cam nest since the livestream started a decade ago. An egg breaking is a rare occurrence in the wild, the agency said.

A second egg remains intact.

Officials acknowledged the sadness of losing one of the eggs but also said the chick that hatches from the remaining egg will now have a greater chance of survival.

The nesting pair of bald eagles on view had been prepping for the arrival for weeks.

The camera usually starts streaming the scene in November, and the eggs start showing up in February. They incubate for about five weeks, and the show goes on, with chicks added to the cast — although occasionally with heartbreaking and even grisly results. Only about half of bald eagles survive their first year.

The eagle cam has been streaming the long-long-long-form documentary for 10 years now. It’s attracted viewers from around the country and 150 other nations, and is a perennial draw for the DNR and its nongame wildlife fund.