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Is visiting eagle the daddy?
By Scott Richardson
srichardson@pantagraph.com
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BLOOMINGTON -- On the off-chance an egg found inside the eagle display at Miller Park Zoo this week should hatch, the event won't garner the attention that was ignited by the question of who fathered Anna Nicole Smith's baby. | Video | Updated photo gallery

But, the question might leave experts puzzled. In a twist fit for the tabloids, Beauty, the zoo's female eagle, has had two possible suitors while she laid her first egg at the zoo in 13 years.

One possible mate is Mathata, the male eagle on display with her. The other is a mature male bald eagle that first appeared in a tree near the eagle display at the Bloomington facility on Tuesday morning. The wild bird was there again about 8 a.m. Wednesday when zoo superintendent John Tobias and zoo marketing coordinator Susie Ohley arrived for work.

The visitor has access to the eagle pen, which has no roof because neither Beauty and Mathata can fly. They were both permanently disabled in separate accidents that landed them in captivity.

Unlike most bald eagles, the visitor appears very tolerant of humans, according to Given Harper, a raptor expert who heads the biology department at Illinois Wesleyan University. Contrary to published suggestions to stay back, people walked close to take pictures while he posed in a tree.

Harper was even more surprised the bird appeared at the zoo on two consecutive days. Eagles can be seen at times in spring flying over the Twin Cities as they migrate to their summer homes in northern states and Canada. Others nest in Central Illinois, including at least one pair that set up house at Clinton Lake in DeWitt County. At least 60 mating pairs were counted in Illinois during a census about three years ago, Harper said. But, wild eagles that visit towns are rare, he said.

This one may have had good reason to stop. Harper said most eagles in this region have mated by now and are tending eggs or their newly hatched young. Lacking a mate, the wild bird may have spotted or heard Beauty as he passed by.

"That's pretty amazing." he said.

Harper and Tobias said they would find it even more unbelievable if the egg Beauty laid were fertile. True, although eagles display beautiful courtship rituals in flight, they actually mate on their perches. But, Mathata's injuries may have left him unable to balance in a way needed to mate successfully, Tobias said.

"We doubt there is any breeding going on," he said.

And, although the wild bird tolerates humans, Harper said it would be extremely unlikely for him to feel safe enough to drop down into the pen.

A hatching eagle egg at Miller Park Zoo in the next three weeks or so would make the news. But, the event would create a problem for Tobias. The zoo's federal permit allows the facility to exhibit eagles, not to breed them.

"Somehow, I have to explain to our birds, 'No more of that guys,'" he said.

Take a look
An American Bald Eagle sits in a tree just north of the Miller Park Zoo's Bald Eagle exhibit, on Wednesday morning, April 25, 2007. (Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY)
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Reader comments on this story - 44 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

For A Limited Time Only wrote on May 2, 2007 10:00 PM:

" It ain't gonna last folks! Once central Illinois gets it's millions and millions of windmills up and running, you won't have to worry about near as much bird crap on your windshields. And we can go back to two unfertile clipped winged eagles hanging out at the zoo. "

WEB CAM wrote on Apr 27, 2007 10:25 AM:

" YES!! Lets do it! Then we can all see! This way the crowds that will be coming to check this out will not freak out the father (and mommy)! Also, has the zoo thought what they should do when it hatches...I mean, about people's personal safety. Aren't eagles overly protective of their young? "

To 'This is the Best' wrote on Apr 26, 2007 10:29 AM:

" Good ideas! We live at the edge of town and my son called me recently VERY excited and freaking out. He said there were TWO eagles in a tree down the road. I, of course, thought he surely must be seeing something else. But he knows hawks by site and can even usually identify them to type of hawk. He insisted these two birds were much bigger and he was SURE, they were eagles. By the time he was able to get the camera, they were gone though. I guess he was probably right based on information about them being in the area! "

smoke free wrote on Apr 26, 2007 6:38 AM:

" maybe the eagle has moved in because there is less smoking going on intown because of the ban on smoking in bars and resturants. we now have cleaner air for them to breath. "

Tis wrote on Apr 26, 2007 5:56 AM:

" I haven't been to Bloomington since the ban went into effect, but I might make an exception and get there. My favorite bird is the eagle and I'd love to see the baby. Too bad they can't do a web cam thing. I watched one of those last year, and it was great. "

Christina Jenkins wrote on Apr 25, 2007 11:42 PM:

" I think if that egg hatches, then the suggestion by "This is the Best***" is awesome! I'd like to add that perhaps the "name game" could become some sort of fundraiser.....like, 1.00 per vote, or 50 cents a vote...maybe have a hotline or cans at the zoo, schools or local libraries, etc. Why not utilize this and raise some money for the zoo, it's a good cause! Yeah, the Anna Nicole thing was insensitive, but you know the media, anyone in the public eye is fair game anymore, and it's anything goes for attention. This headline got our attention....Therefore, I propose let's put this idea to the test and see if a good ole honest fundraising attempt gets some attention. "

person of interest wrote on Apr 25, 2007 9:49 PM:

" maybe this is why we have so many subdivisions in town named EAGLE______ . "

Reality_Can_Be_Hell wrote on Apr 25, 2007 9:31 PM:

" I tottaly agree with "This is the Best" on the comments and suggestions for a name if the egg hatches. I for one applaud the Pantagraph for this story. I hope to see more stories like this in the future. "

hmm wrote on Apr 25, 2007 9:29 PM:

" I dont think it was nice to toss in Anna Nicole...Let the lady rest in peace~ "

Cub Fan wrote on Apr 25, 2007 7:56 PM:

" Lets change the state bird to the Bald Eagle and state mammal to a Goat. WHOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!! "

Thats so cute...... wrote on Apr 25, 2007 7:20 PM:

" That is the sweetest thing I have ever heard! i hope they have a baby, but then they would have to clip it wings right?? Oh thats so sweet!! "

To:Blue Hair wrote on Apr 25, 2007 7:09 PM:

" I agree with you. This is a sacrilege. I read that they are showing panda porn at the Schoenbrunn Zoo in Vienna Austria. "

!! wrote on Apr 25, 2007 6:25 PM:

" if this egg hatches and the baby lives, the zoo is going to have to let it go or get permission from DNR to build a inclosed bird cage to keep it in. if it is left to fly loose it would most likely stay close to the rest of the family. "

This is the best*** wrote on Apr 25, 2007 5:57 PM:

" news I've heard all week! This is exciting to think their may be a new baby Eagle. I surely will bring my grandkids out to see it if the schools don't do it by classes. What will it's name be? Has anyone thought of that? I say let the kids (K-5)have a contest from the schools to name it. Then let kids (6-8) go through the names and pick 3 from the list. The kids will be excited also, and more so if they think the bird may get their name. Lets all hope it's fertile. "

Alright... wrote on Apr 25, 2007 4:09 PM:

" Let's bust out the sonograph and see what we got here! "

To Sebastian: wrote on Apr 25, 2007 3:48 PM:

" Um, the Pantagraph is a "local" newspaper. Therefore it makes perfect sense that they report "local"news. I, for one, enjoy a pleasant story every once in a while. If you want to look at partisan politics why don't you go to cnn.com rather than the Pantagraph! "

Not nice! wrote on Apr 25, 2007 3:45 PM:

" I love the story too! But... I don't think reference to Anna Nicole Smith was necessary in this article and very tactless. And then someone like "yup" brings up Dannilynn. This world loves to criticize and make fun of! "

Blue Hair wrote on Apr 25, 2007 3:44 PM:

" Those birds are fornicating at a zoo I pay for. Those birds need Jesus!!! What is this zoo coming to? What's next....gay penguins? "

Sebastian R. wrote on Apr 25, 2007 3:17 PM:

" Who cares. There's other news to report, like the impeachment of Cheney, the U.N. report on the failed Bush surge, and the subpoenaing of Rice. Quit trying to hide the unbearable truth. "

RL # 2 wrote on Apr 25, 2007 3:15 PM:

" Sometimes the entire nest will blow down. The female eagle usually lays two white, three-inch long eggs in late March or early April. Both adults incubate the eggs starting when the first one is laid. The first egg hatches about 40 days later. Both parents feed the downy white chicks. They carry fish back to the nest, tear off bits with their beaks and place the food in the chicks' beaks. Eggs and chicks are vulnerable to the effects of severe weather and predation from great horned owls, ravens and raccoons. Many chicks don't survive the first year. When three months old, the young eagles are able to fly. They exercise their wings and soon leave the nest. For several weeks, they stay near the nest site and the adults as they become familiar with the area and how to find food. "

RL # 1 wrote on Apr 25, 2007 3:15 PM:

" Bald eagles are sexually mature when four or five years old. A courting male and female will engage to help cement the bond between them. During the breeding season, bald eagles establish and defend territories. Mated adults usually return to the same breeding territory each year. Thus, a newly mated pair must find a territory that is unoccupied. If one member of a pair dies, the other will remate. The territory must have a suitable nesting site and be near water with an adequate supply of fish. In February or March, bald eagles begin building a nest or repairing one they built a pervious year. Nests are made of large sticks and other vegetation, the sticks forming the shell and more flexible greens lining the inside platform. The average nest is four feet in diameter and three feet deep. If the pair reuses an old nest, they add new materials to it. A nest may become so big and heavy that it makes the tree susceptible to breakage during storms. "

wow wrote on Apr 25, 2007 2:52 PM:

" this was a nice story to read for once. i doupt if the egg has been fertilized and will hatch. on the down side of that how will the mother raise and teach her offspring to survive in captivity? will the male stay around and help? will the other male become jelouse and territorial and cause a problem? if there is a down side to the baby than it might be better off not hatching, it would be real neat to experience this in bloomington/normal but it would be terrible if the mother couldnt teach it and raise it proplerly. if it does hatch i hope everything will go smoothly and safe. "

Fan of the Zoo wrote on Apr 25, 2007 2:43 PM:

" I am glad to see this story. My children and I are following it...very exciting for us to read about and discuss. We are hoping the egg hatches and we have a new baby in town. "

Awesome! wrote on Apr 25, 2007 2:39 PM:

" What a fun and uplifting story - I hope the egg hatches :) "

To: "Award-winning journalism" and "Finally" wrote on Apr 25, 2007 2:23 PM:

" If you don't like the subject matter of the article, don't flippin' click on the headline...pretty simple, brainiacs. For one I am happy to read about something relaxing such as nature for a change rather than what scumbag robbed someone, Amren, or how ticked off the smokers are about their banned habit. "

to:Cowboy wrote on Apr 25, 2007 2:16 PM:

" "either your grammar is bad" That should be "either your grammar is poor" "

re:Cowboy wrote on Apr 25, 2007 2:01 PM:

" I was asking because chickens can lay eggs that are never fertilized. "

Jeff wrote on Apr 25, 2007 1:55 PM:

" birth control? "

Let's See. Umm?? wrote on Apr 25, 2007 1:37 PM:

" Male, In season, able to get to lady eagle - guys, would you feel safe enough to drop down into a pen to get what you want? This bird is hanging around humans - he ain't stopping for an open pen. He knows it worked and he's going to become very protective real soon. Please take care of him. "

Award-winning journalism wrote on Apr 25, 2007 1:35 PM:

" Congrats, Pantagraph. This is just the kind of riveting, hard-hitting reporting that wins awards! This is the kind of stuff we get on a slow news week folks. "

Eagles in town wrote on Apr 25, 2007 1:34 PM:

" The communities along the Illinois River have large numbers of Eagles in them every year. Havana, Beardstown, Peoria, Pekin, Utica, Meredosia, and most other cities along the river have Bald and Golden Eagles in them each winter and some during the summer. Some Eagles winter here and summer as far north as Canada. Some of the Eagles along the river I have been with in 100 feet of them taking photograhs. They will spook and fly if you get closer. Remember they can be very dangerous if they are scared. They have tallons that can rip your skin apart. The best way to view thenm is from your car about 300 feet or more away. Bio's and Cameras with zoom lens is best. If this new eagle is the father of the egg, he will most likely become protective of the baby when it hatches. I would guess at that time the end of the zoo will have to close off that end till the baby matures and can fly. "

on the subject of eagle mating wrote on Apr 25, 2007 1:32 PM:

" "why do eagles mate if they just lay eggs and then the male fertilizes them?" The egg has to be fertilized prior to the shell forming and being laid. Hence the balancing on the perch situation mentioned in the article. "

Bye, bye, egg? wrote on Apr 25, 2007 1:31 PM:

" Should the egg be taken from the cage to protect it in case Mathata gets jealous? Can eagle eggs be kept in incubation areas similar to chicken eggs? Do they have to sit for a while to ensure stability of the reproduction process? "

to: will he try? wrote on Apr 25, 2007 1:25 PM:

" i don't think you're understanding the situation....eagles mate just like we do...but while our woman carries her egg inside, eagles lay theirs. the male eagle does his part just like a male human....don't think i can spell it out much more than that without getting explicit! "

Poor Mathata wrote on Apr 25, 2007 1:25 PM:

" If he has hung out with Beauty all of these years and then some Stranger (let's call him Larry B) drops into his cage while the zookeeper is asleep and answers Beauty's call. "

to:will he try? wrote on Apr 25, 2007 1:23 PM:

" eagles mate (do the thing) than lay the egg!! "

To: will he try? wrote on Apr 25, 2007 1:17 PM:

" I'm not sure about the "birds and the bees" (humans are easier to understand)..but doesn't the male fertilize the egg before it is laid? "

Cowboy wrote on Apr 25, 2007 12:59 PM:

" This is to "will he try?" did you sleep through Biology ? or have you never been to the farm ? Let me simplify this....mate first.....lay egg second....chick hatches (if the egg is fertile). Fertilization by the male happens at the time of mating ... either your grammar is bad or you need to study up on this before dating.... "

The wild bird. . . wrote on Apr 25, 2007 12:45 PM:

" probably doesn't give a hoot (no pun intended) about what a federal permit says about breeding. He finds a single lady during mating season and now there are eggs waiting to be hatched. "

Finally wrote on Apr 25, 2007 12:44 PM:

" Some hard hitting news from the Pantagraph. Good work! "

will he try? wrote on Apr 25, 2007 12:22 PM:

" are they not stating the obvious? why do eagles mate if they just lay eggs and then the male fertilizes them? "

yup wrote on Apr 25, 2007 12:06 PM:

" hahahaha...this is a goodie. i hope that egg hatches, that would be awesome. hey, maybe they can name it dannielynn!? "

My Vote Goes wrote on Apr 25, 2007 12:04 PM:

" To the Visitor - 13 years - no eggs and then, bam! Guess you'll have to put a top on that cage. How's the male going to act when he can't get to the baby to do his fatherly duties? "

TMI? wrote on Apr 25, 2007 12:02 PM:

" I'm not sure I want to visualize the perch situation, but I am hoping the egg is fertile. Please keep us up-to-date with this situation. "
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