Just as it is for many humans, the home is the centre of the universe for resident eagles, and their home is the nest or aerie. It is where their lives begin, but after they fledge they are just like teenagers with at least five years of freedom when they can wander and stray wherever they please. After they reach sexual maturity in their fifth year, the urge to find a partner and settle down kicks in. Those who are lucky enough to find a partner usually mate for life, and their first task is to start looking for a home. Occasionally, a vacant nest is available, but most often a new nest must be constructed preferably in a tall, sturdy tree close to water and not too close to other nesting pairs. The best trees have a crotch like an inverted tripod or sturdy naturally altered branches to form a platform to cradle the nest. If no there are no suitable trees, nests can also be built on a cliff ledge or even on the ground.

The nest is built with large sticks to form a round dish-shaped foundation about 5 or 6 feet wide and 2 or 3 feet deep. It is then lined with smaller branches and soft material like grasses, seaweed, moss, leaves, and feathers to form a cosy bed for the eggs and chicks. If all goes well, eagles can lay eggs for about 20 years, and they add new branches and material to the nest every year. Unfortunately, if nest gets too big and the tree or branches aren’t strong enough, the nest can collapse – sometimes with fatal consequences.

Reference: A YEAR OF EAGLES available at most bookstores.