The Decorah Eagles and the Webcam

The Raptor Recovery Center is an organization dedicated to the preservation of raptors – large wild birds of prey like owls, hawks – and eagles. Due to the protections of the Endangered Species Act, which is in its 40th year, the American bald eagle is making a national comeback from extinction.

No two eagles are more famous, world-wide, than a pair of eagles that nested five years ago in the backyard of a fish hatchery in the small town of Decorah, Iowa. Bob Anderson, director of the Raptor Recovery Project, installed a web cam that makes it possible, to observe their lives, on line, 24/7, as they raise broods each year. The web cam has led to scientific breakthroughs for biologists, and won hearts around the world.

Further breakthroughs have occurred with the banding of one of the young with a radio transmitter, making it possible to track her migrations.

Finally, the project has expanded to the development of a webcam to help save the Philippine Eagle, which is on the brink of extinction. The webcam image can be seen at http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles.


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