Since the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nesting season began in September, SCCF staff and dedicated volunteers monitored 11 nest structures that yielded six eaglets on Sanibel, Captiva, and North Captiva.
The nesting season for bald eagles in Florida ends May 15, but it appears our local eagle population has already wrapped it up.
On Sanibel, five out of seven nests monitored had nesting attempts—two successfully fledged two eaglets (for a total of four), though the three others failed. On North Captiva, a monitored nest successfully produced a fledgling.
On Captiva, two of three monitored nests showed active attempts—one succeeded in producing a fledgling, which was successfully treated at Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) after falling from its nest. Two eaglets in the other nest died, and one sent to CROW tested positive for rodenticide (rat poison).
