Be part of the initiative to clean up the Little Pigeon River! Please complete the form below and join us on June 20, 2019 at the Sevierville Greenway in Sevierville, TN!

For the 6th consecutive year, Charity Navigator has awarded the American Eagle Foundation a 4-star rating. This is their highest possible rating and indicates that AEF adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way. Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that American Eagle Foundation exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in our area of work. Only 7% of the charities evaluated by Charity Navigator have received at least 6 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that American Eagle Foundation outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets American Eagle Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.  Read more about the American Eagle Foundation’s accreditation, memberships, and permits. A copy of our 2017 audited Annual Report can be accessed here.

Letter from Charity Navigator to the AEF

139 Harrisontown Rd • Glen Rock, NJ  08452 phone (201) 818-1288 • fax (201) 818-2694 www.charitynavigator.org

November 1, 2018

Jim Marietta American Eagle Foundation Post Office Box 333 Pigeon Forge, TN 37868

Dear Jim Marietta:

On behalf of Charity Navigator, I wish to congratulate American Eagle Foundation on attaining the coveted 4- star rating for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency.

The nonprofit sector is advancing and expanding. As our organizations evolve, so do the desires and interests of our supporters. Astute donors are yearning for greater accountability, transparency, and for concrete results from us. With more than 1.5 million American charities, Charity Navigator aims to accentuate the work of efficient and transparent organizations. The intent of our work is to provide donors with essential information to give them greater confidence in both the charitable decisions that they make and the nonprofit sector.

Based on the most recent information available and in conjunction with our updated financial methodology, we have issued a new rating for your organization. We are proud to announce American Eagle Foundation has earned our 4-star rating for the sixth consecutive year. This is our highest possible rating and indicates that your organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way. Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that American Eagle Foundation exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work.  Only 7% of the charities we evaluate have received at least 6 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that American Eagle Foundation outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets American Eagle Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness. Approximately only a quarter of rated charities have achieved this distinction!

Forbes, Business Week, and Kiplinger’s Financial Magazine, among others, have profiled and celebrated our unique method of applying data-driven analysis to the charitable sector. We evaluate ten times more charities than our nearest competitor and currently attract more visitors to our website than all other charity rating groups combined, thus making us the leading charity evaluator in America. Our data shows that users of our site donated more than they planned to before viewing our findings, and in fact, it is estimated that last year Charity Navigator influenced approximately $10 billion in charitable gifts.

Your achievement and the 4-star rating will enhance your organization’s fundraising and public relations efforts. Our favorable review of American Eagle Foundation’s financial health and commitment to accountability & transparency is now visible on our website.

We wish you continued success in your charitable endeavors.

Sincerely,

Michael Thatcher President and CEO

October 1, 2018

This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets American Eagle Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.  Read more about the American Eagle Foundation’s accreditation, memberships, and permits. A copy of our 2016 audited Annual Report can be accessed here.

139 Harrisontown Rd • Glen Rock, NJ  08452
phone (201) 818-1288 • fax (201) 818-2694
www.charitynavigator.org

October 1, 2018

Al Louis Cecere
American Eagle Foundation
Post Office Box 333
Pigeon Forge, TN 37868

Dear Al Louis Cecere:

On behalf of Charity Navigator, I wish to congratulate American Eagle Foundation on attaining the coveted 4-star rating for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency.

The nonprofit sector is advancing and expanding. As our organizations evolve, so do the desires and interests of our supporters. Astute donors are yearning for greater accountability, transparency, and for concrete results from us. With more than 1.5 million American charities, Charity Navigator aims to accentuate the work of efficient and transparent organizations. The intent of our work is to provide donors with essential information to give them greater confidence in both the charitable decisions that they make and the nonprofit sector.

Based on the most recent information available, we have issued a new rating for your organization. We are proud to announce American Eagle Foundation has earned our fifth consecutive 4-star rating. This is our highest possible rating and indicates that your organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way. Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that American Eagle Foundation exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in your area of work. Only 8% of the charities we evaluate have received at least 5 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that American Eagle Foundation outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets American Eagle Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.

Forbes, Business Week, and Kiplinger’s Financial Magazine, among others, have profiled and celebrated our unique method of applying data-driven analysis to the charitable sector. We evaluate ten times more charities than our nearest competitor and currently attract more visitors to our website than all other charity rating groups combined, thus making us the leading charity evaluator in America. Our data shows that users of our site donated more than they planned to before viewing our findings, and in fact, it is estimated that last year Charity Navigator influenced approximately $10 billion in charitable gifts.

Your achievement and the 4-star rating will enhance your organization’s fundraising and public relations efforts. Our favorable review of American Eagle Foundation’s financial health and commitment to accountability & transparency is now visible on our website.

We wish you continued success in your charitable endeavors.

Sincerely,

Michael Thatcher
President and CEO

During April and May of 2018, the American Eagle Foundation’s Smoky Mountain Bald Eagle Nest in Sevierville, TN became the focus of environmental issues that impact Bald Eagle nests and other wildlife nationwide. On three separate occasions this spring, in cooperation with the USFWS, interventions were made at this local nest to ensure the safety of three young eaglets due to the ongoing presence of fishing line, hooks, & sinkers in the nest.

On April 22, 2018, one of the eaglets was strategically removed from the nest by a professional tree climber after swallowing a hook brought into the nest along with a fish. Fortunately, veterinarians quickly and safely removed the hook, and the eaglet was returned to the nest the following day.

On May 9th, hooks, fishing line, and tackle were again observed in the nest.  The same local professional tree climber ascended into the nest again, and removed the dangerous material.

On May 21st, fishing hooks, lines, and tackle were once again brought into the nest. For the health and safety of the eaglets, a decision was made by the USFWS & American Eagle Foundation (AEF) to remove all three eaglets from the nest and place them in the AEF’s hacking tower located on Douglas Lake. The eaglets will be released into the wild at around 13 weeks of age.

A CAMPAIGN TO CLEAN UP THE LITTLE PIGEON RIVER

Keep Sevier Beautiful (KSB) and the American Eagle Foundation are determined to clean up not just the waterways of Sevierville, TN, but also the surrounding ecosystem to help ensure the health and longevity of the animals that depend on this area as their source for food.

“Keep Sevier Beautiful is proud to be partnering with the American Eagle Foundation in an effort to assist with this cleanup.  This particular area has become a danger to our wildlife.  Our goal is, once the cleanup is complete, to educate the community on the impact it is having on our wildlife so that we can make sure this remains a safe environment,” said Lisa Bryant, Executive Director with Keep Sevier Beautiful.

Jim Marietta, President & CEO of the American Eagle Foundation said, “This is a hands-on conservation initiative to focus on cleaning up and protecting the habitat of Bald Eagles and other wildlife. Beginning with the Little Pigeon River, from which the eagles in our area obtain most of their food, we hope to restore this ecosystem to a pristine condition, and we are delighted to partner with Keep Sevier Beautiful on this project.”

Our goal is to restore the Little Pigeon River to a pristine condition so that it is safe for all the wildlife who depend on it for food.

DANGERS OF LITTERING AND USING LEAD IN FISHING OR HUNTING

Fishing lines and litter kill an array of wildlife, including eagles. Fishing with equipment that contains lead has become an even larger issue. According to the American Bird Conservancy, an estimated 10-20 million birds and other animals die each year from lead poisoning in the United States. This occurs when animals scavenge on carcasses shot and contaminated with lead bullet fragments and pick up and eat spent lead-shot pellets or lost fishing weights, mistaking them for food or grit. Some animals perish from lead poisoning while others are affected for years from its debilitating effects. Eagles are apex predators- anything that enters into or affects the ecosystem/food chain will affect eagles and other animals.

PROJECT DETAILS – GET INVOLVED!

• SPONSORED BY: American Eagle Foundation & Keep Sevier Beautiful
• DATE & TIME: Friday June 15, 2018 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
• LOCATION: We will meet at 8:45 a.m. at the Sevierville Greenway Park, across from Highland Union Bank at 113 Hardin Ln, Sevierville, TN 37862
• MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN UP:  Register below to sign up and help make the Little Pigeon River safe for wildlife!  You may also contact Kay Shanda, Program Coordinator, at kshanda@keepsevierbeautiful.org.

ADDITIONAL ACTIONS PLANNED

In addition to the River Cleanup, the following actions are planned:

• Informational / educational signs at fishing hotspots
• Fishing line receptacles / disposal bins at fishing hotspots
• Educational PR campaign to inform locals and visitors
• Getting local businesses, government, organizations, and community as a whole involved

About the American Eagle Foundation

The American Eagle Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to care for, restore and protect the USA’ s living symbol of freedom, the Bald Eagle, and other birds of prey through the four pillars of Education, Repopulation, Conservation, & Rehabilitation. It is headquartered in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains at Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, TN. Learn more at www.eagles.org.

About Keep Sevier Beautiful

Keep Sevier Beautiful is a multi-award winning non-profit that brings people together to protect the beauty of Sevier County in turn stimulating economic growth, building vibrant communities and protecting the gateway to the Smoky Mountains. It is our goal to enhance and protect the beauty of Sevier County and improve the quality of life of our residents through community-based projects. Learn more at www.keepsevierbeautiful.org.

Media Contacts:

American Eagle Foundation
Laura Sterbens – Director of Operations
laura@eagles.org
865-256-0372

Keep Sevier Beautiful
Lisa Bryant – Executive Director
lbryant@keepsevierbeautiful.org
865-774-6677
[/av_textblock] ]]> https://eagles.org/dc-eagles-mr-president-the-first-lady-welcome-2nd-egg-march-28-2018/ Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:45:57 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=45382 DC Eagles Mr. President & The First Lady Welcome 2nd Egg [/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]

Two perfect eggs rest gently in the nest of Bald Eagles ‘Mr. President’ and ‘The First Lady.’

Washington, DC, March 28, 2018

Bald Eagles Mr. President and The First Lady have welcomed their second egg of 2018 into their National Arboretum nest in Washington, DC., according to the non-profit American Eagle Foundation, which operates the video cams at DCEagleCam.Org

“The second egg was laid today (March 28) at approximately 2:46 p.m. and we are very pleased about the outcome of the egg laying phase of this year’s nesting season, said AEF President Al Cecere. “The first egg was laid 2 days ago at  4:30 pm. The incubation process will now take about 35 days until each egg hatches, and tiny down-feathered eaglets enter our world. If both eggs successfully hatch, these will be the 6th and 7th eaglets produced by the distinguished parent pair. ”

Viewers can watch all the intimate activities inside the DC Eagle Cam nest LIVE at dceaglecam.org. For  all the viewers who watched the cams last year, what happens after the egg-laying is no surprise. From this point on, the eagle pair will delicately incubate and relentlessly protect their egg(s) from rain, snow, hail, thunderstorms, and predators (like raccoons). They will also take turns with the incubation duties throughout the day to let each other take breaks and hunt/fish for food.

“It’s always endearing and exciting to watch the behaviors of an eagle pair,” says Cecere “Sometimes they almost appear to banter about who gets to watch over the eggs or chicks next. Of course, we have no clue what they’re saying to each other, but we can certainly have fun imagining,” said Cecere.

High in the nest of a Tulip Poplar tree in the DC Arboretum, treasures are kept safe by Bald Eagles ‘Mr. President’ & ‘The First Lady.’

ABOUT THE D.C. EAGLE CAM PROJECT

In 2015, the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) staff traveled to D.C. to install state-of-the-art cameras, infrared lighting, and other related equipment in-and-around the nest tree with the help of experienced technicians and tree climbers, as well as AEF staff and volunteers. The USDA’s U.S. National Arboretum ran a half-mile of fiber optic cable to the cameras’ ground control station, which connects the cameras to the Internet.

The entire system is powered by large mobile solar panels (containing several deep cycle batteries), which was designed and built by students and staff from Alfred State College, SUNY College of Technology and was partially funded by the Department of Energy and Environment. USNA has implemented a backup generator that will kick-on if prolonged inclement weather causes the solar array to provide insufficient power to the system.

In 2016, APEX Electric Inc. (Kenmore, Washington) traveled to D.C. to assist the AEF in successfully installing audio equipment in and around the tree.

The AEF uses Piksel to stream the video images to viewers around the world, and AEF volunteers are trained and coordinated to pan, tilt and zoom the two video cams, as well as educate the public via LIVE chats while viewers (including adults of all ages and school children) watch and listen to the eagles via the video cams and microphones over the Internet.

###

Media Contacts:

American Eagle Foundation
Laura Sterbens, Director of Operations
865-865-256-0372
Laura@eagles.org

or
Al Cecere, Founder & President
865-809-2385
Al@eagles.org
[/av_textblock] ]]> https://eagles.org/bald-eagles-mr-president-the-first-lady-welcome-first-egg-of-2018/ Mon, 26 Mar 2018 18:13:45 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=45060 Famous Bald Eagle Pair Mr. President & the First Lady Have Welcomed the First Egg of 2018 into Their Washington DC Nest — Just In Time For Easter!! [/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]

March 25, 2018 – Bald Eagles ‘Mr. President’ and ‘The First Lady’ laid their the first egg of 2018 into their National Arboretum nest in Washington DC. They will possibly lay a second egg right before Easter weekend. Find out by watching the DC Eagle Cam LIVE. Photo © 2018 American Eagle Foundation.

In 2017, eaglets DC4 & DC5, which were later dubbed Honor and Glory by the public. Another high point for 2017 was that the AEF installed sound to the nest cam experience)

In 2015, before the DC Eagle Cam project came to be, the pair raised one eaglet (DC1).

Since the nonprofit American Eagle Foundation (AEF) and USDA re-launched the DC Eagle Cam to the general public on New Year’s Eve, viewers have been patiently watching and waiting for the pair’s next set of eggs and eaglets.

Those who were watching the cams on March 25, 2018 around 4:30 p.m. EST were lucky enough to see The First Lady lay her first egg of the 2018 nesting season. For all of those who missed it, they can watch the video HERE.

Viewers should make sure to watch the cams over the next several days to catch the laying of the second egg, if ‘The First Lady’ produces another (like she did last year).

Eagle pairs typically produce 1-3 eggs annually (usually laid and hatched a few days apart), but because this pair raised one eaglet during their first nesting season, two eaglets their second season, and two eaglets their third season there’s no telling what to expect this time around, especially since the nest has gotten larger.

Al Cecere, President of the AEF states, “As long as this egg is viable, in about 35 days we will get to watch a grey fuzzy eaglet emerge from its shell. Over the next several days we’ll find out if this eaglet, which will be called DC6, will have any siblings as well.”

For all the viewers who watched the cams last year, what happens after the egg-laying is no surprise. From this point on, the eagle pair will delicately incubate and relentlessly protect their egg(s) from rain, snow, hail, thunderstorms, and predators (like raccoons). They will also take turns with the incubation duties throughout the day to let each other take breaks and hunt/fish for food.

“It’s always endearing and exciting to watch the behaviors of an eagle pair,” says Cecere “Sometimes they almost appear to banter about who gets to watch over the eggs or chicks next. Of course, we have no clue what they’re saying to each other, but we can certainly have fun imagining!”

ABOUT THE D.C. EAGLE CAM PROJECT

In 2015, the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) staff traveled to D.C. to install state-of-the-art cameras, infrared lighting, and other related equipment in-and-around the nest tree with the help of experienced technicians and tree climbers, as well as AEF staff and volunteers. The USDA’s U.S. National Arboretum ran a half-mile of fiber optic cable to the cameras’ ground control station, which connects the cameras to the Internet. The entire system is powered by large mobile solar panels (containing several deep cycle batteries), which was designed and built by students and staff from Alfred State College, SUNY College of Technology and was partially funded by the Department of Energy and Environment. USNA has implemented a backup generator that will kick-on if prolonged inclement weather causes the solar array to provide insufficient power to the system. In 2016, APEX Electric Inc. (Kenmore, Washington) traveled to D.C. to assist the AEF in successfully installing audio equipment in and around the tree. The AEF uses Piksel to stream the video images to viewers around the world, and AEF volunteers are trained and coordinated to pan, tilt and zoom the two video cams, as well as educate the public via LIVE chats while viewers (including adults of all ages and school children) watch and listen to the eagles via the video cams and microphones over the Internet.

Media Contacts:

American Eagle Foundation
Laura Sterbens, Director of Operations
865-865-256-0372
Laura@eagles.org

or
Al Cecere, President
865-809-2385
Al@eagles.org
[/av_textblock] ]]> https://eagles.org/dc-cam-goes-live-dec-31-2017/ Fri, 29 Dec 2017 22:23:16 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=41547 Join Bald Eagles ‘Mr. President’ & ‘The First Lady’ for the Official Countdown to Their 2018 Breeding & Nesting Season [/av_textblock] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=”]

Photo ©2017 American Eagle Foundation
The DC Eagle Cam relaunches on December 31, 2017, just in time to ring in the New Year. Pictured here are bald eagle pair Mr. President and The First Lady inside their nest atop a Tulip Poplar Tree, preparing for another breeding and nesting season at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.

The world-famous DC eagle cam goes LIVE on New Year’s Eve, featuring new video cameras & microphones for higher quality 24/7 viewing & sound!

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The time has arrived for the stars of the DC Eagle Cam to return to their wild nest and reality nature show on the World Wide Web, just in time to ring in the New Year!

During 2017, eagle fans from around the world watched Mr. President & The First Lady raise two more eaglets inside their nest atop a Tulip Poplar tree inside the U.S. National Arboretum (USNA) live at www.dceaglecam.org.

With more than 94 million views since its inception in 2016, the DC Eagle Cam is now one of the most popular live animal cams on the Internet today- with viewers from 109 countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Poland, and Russia.

During the upcoming 2018 nesting season, millions of viewers can anticipate an even more exciting eagle nest cam experience. The DC Eagle Cam now boasts high-quality images and sound!

In August 2017, after all four eagles (parents and two young) left their Arboretum nesting area, the not-for-profit American Eagle Foundation (AEF, www.eagles.org) and its audio/video tech team and arborist tree-climbers traveled to the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. to install two new high-definition ‘pan-tilt-zoom’ axis cameras, as well as new microphones in and around the nest tree.

After the 2017 nesting season concluded, Mr. President decided to remain in the DC area throughout the summer as he patiently awaited The First Lady to return. When she returned on September 28, they both have been tirelessly carrying out nest building activities (“nestorations”), adding hundreds of sticks and other soft materials to the interior of nest.

Throughout the upcoming nesting season, DC Eagle Cam viewers will be able to participate in live Q&A sessions with the AEF’s team of volunteer moderators. Live Q&A sessions will be continually scheduled throughout the 2018 breeding and nesting season, which will commence on January 15. There will be a bonus Q&A session on December 31 from 12 p.m.-2 p.m. EST. Schools also may schedule special times to view the nest live from within their classrooms and to ask the AEF moderators educational questions directly.

For those who don’t have plans to go out on New Year’s Eve, join the world’s most favorite Bald Eagle pair by computer or cell phone for a New Year Countdown live on www.dceaglecam.org

ABOUT THE DC EAGLE CAM PROJECT

In 2015, American Eagle Foundation staff traveled to D.C. to install state-of-the-art cameras, infrared lighting, microphones and other related equipment in-and-around the nest tree with the help of volunteers, tech professionals and experienced arborist tree climbers. The USDA’s U.S. National Arboretum ran a half-mile of fiber optic cable to the AEF’s audio/video ground control station, which connects the video cameras and microphone sound to the Internet. The entire system is powered by a large mobile solar array (containing several deep cycle batteries) that was designed and built by students and staff from Alfred State College, SUNY College of Technology and was partially funded by the Department of Energy and Environment.  USNA has implemented a backup generator that will kick on if prolonged inclement weather causes the solar array to provide insufficient power to the system. In 2016, APEX Electric Inc. (Kenmore, Washington) traveled to DC to also assist the AEF in successfully installing audio and video equipment and cabling.

Contacts
American Eagle Foundation
Al Cecere, 865-809-2385
AEF Founder & President
Al@Eagles.Org
or
Laura Sterbens, 865-256-0372
AEF Director of Operations
Laura@Eagles.Org
[/av_textblock] ]]> https://eagles.org/dc4-hatched-welcome-world/ Wed, 29 Mar 2017 14:40:38 +0000 https://eaglesorg.wpengine.com/?p=30243 Eggstra! Eggstra! DC4 Has Hatched! Mr. President & The First Lady Are Expecting a Second Eaglet Any Day Now! [/av_textblock] [av_slideshow size=’featured_large’ animation=’slide’ autoplay=’false’ interval=’5′ control_layout=’av-control-default’ custom_class=”] [av_slide id=’30258′ slide_type=” video=’http://’ mobile_image=” video_ratio=’16:9′ video_controls=” video_mute=” video_loop=” video_autoplay=” title=” link_apply=” link=” link_target=”][/av_slide] [av_slide id=’30262′ slide_type=” video=’http://’ mobile_image=” video_ratio=’16:9′ video_controls=” video_mute=” video_loop=” video_autoplay=” title=” link_apply=” link=” link_target=”][/av_slide] [av_slide id=’30263′ slide_type=” video=’http://’ mobile_image=” video_ratio=’16:9′ video_controls=” video_mute=” video_loop=” video_autoplay=” title=” link_apply=” link=” link_target=”][/av_slide] [av_slide id=’30261′ slide_type=” video=’http://’ mobile_image=” video_ratio=’16:9′ video_controls=” video_mute=” video_loop=” video_autoplay=” title=” link_apply=” link=” link_target=”][/av_slide] [av_slide slide_type=’image’ id=’30265′ video=’http://’ mobile_image=” video_ratio=’16:9′ title=” link_apply=” link=’lightbox’ link_target=” video_controls=” video_mute=” video_loop=” video_autoplay=”][/av_slide] [av_slide id=’30260′ slide_type=” video=’http://’ mobile_image=” video_ratio=’16:9′ video_controls=” video_mute=” video_loop=” video_autoplay=” title=” link_apply=” link=” link_target=”][/av_slide] [av_slide id=’30264′ slide_type=” video=’http://’ mobile_image=” video_ratio=’16:9′ video_controls=” video_mute=” video_loop=” video_autoplay=” title=” link_apply=” link=” link_target=”][/av_slide] [av_slide id=’30259′ slide_type=” video=’http://’ mobile_image=” video_ratio=’16:9′ video_controls=” video_mute=” video_loop=” video_autoplay=” title=” link_apply=” link=” link_target=”][/av_slide] [/av_slideshow] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” custom_class=”] Get the President on the phone…we have exciting news! The other Mr. President and his faithful companion, The First Lady, have welcomed their first eaglet of 2017 into their Washington DC Nest. The eaglet’s younger sibling is soon to follow.

Over the past day, the entire process was live-streamed to hundreds of thousands of viewers thanks to the DC Eagle Cam project (dceaglecam.org), which consists of two live-streaming, high-definition cameras and microphones installed above and around this Eagles nest located at the top of a Tulip Poplar tree at the U.S. National Arboretum.

This new hatchling, known as DC4 – as this is the fourth eaglet hatched by this breeding pair from this nest – began the hatching process yesterday, March 28th. The first crack in its shell was noticed by American Eagle Foundation (AEF) volunteers at around 9:58 a.m. EDT. Not even 24 hours later, at 7:20am EDT, the eaglet fully pushed out and detached itself from its shell.

“There’s nothing quite as cute and endearing as a newly-hatched eaglet! Soon after DC4 arrived, Mr. President swooped into the nest with a nice big catfish,” says AEF representative Carolyn Stalcup. “He and The First Lady appeared to talk about who would take over brooding duties, but she won and Dad flew off.”

DC4’s delicate and small neck is gaining strength fast, its wet feathers are drying, and the head is bobbling now with little wings outstretched. The mother eagle has been constantly watching over her new baby on its first day out of the shell.

Videos of the eaglet can be viewed on the AEF’s Facebook and Youtube pages.

Now, this little eaglet and its parents are waiting for the second egg in their nest to hatch.

Eagle eggs typically go through an average of 35 days of incubation before beginning to hatch. DC4 began hatching at day 37, which isn’t uncommon.

“DC5, whose egg was laid on February 23, has an expected hatch-date of March 30, but it could happen anytime now,” said American Eagle Foundation founder and president Al Cecere. “We are elated that the first egg hatched successfully. We are hopeful that the second eaglet will break free from its egg in a healthy state too. Freedom for an eagle is a very special thing.”

For all of the DC Eagle Cam fans around the world who have fallen in love with watching this eagle pair, there is now a beautiful hardcover book documenting the pairs’ first two nesting seasons in the National Arboretum. The book can be purchased on www.eagles.org or by visiting www.dceaglecam.org.

ABOUT THE D.C. EAGLE CAM PROJECT
In 2015, the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) staff traveled to D.C. to install state-of-the-art cameras, infrared lighting, and other related equipment in-and-around the nest tree with the help of volunteers and experienced tree arborists and climbers. This past year, the AEF added microphones near the nest to further enhance the viewing experience, and a team of arborists and eagle experts affixed natural tree limbs beneath the nest to provide added support. The USDA’s U.S. National Arboretum ran a half-mile of fiber optic cable to the cameras’ ground control station, which connects the cameras and microphones to the Internet. The entire system is powered by a large mobile solar array (containing several deep cycle batteries) that was designed and built by students and staff from Alfred State College, SUNY College of Technology and was partially funded by the Department of Energy and Environment. USNA has implemented a backup generator that will kick-on if prolonged inclement weather causes the solar array to provide insufficient power to the system. In 2016, APEX Electric Inc. (Kenmore, Washington) traveled to D.C. to assist the AEF in successfully installing audio equipment in and around the tree. The AEF uses Piksel to stream the video images to viewers around the world, and AEF volunteers are trained and coordinated to pan, tilt and zoom the cams, as well as educate the public via LIVE chats while viewers watch the eagles via the cams on the Internet.

Media Contacts:
Julia Cecere,
AEF Marketing, P.R. & Social Media Manager
865-234-0431
Email Julia

Or

Al Cecere,
AEF Founder & President
865-809-2385
Email Al
[/av_textblock] ]]>