"Incubation" February 2, 2011 I have no doubt the eagles are incubating. We first observed this behavior on January 10. They are so focused that entering the blind does not cause them to leave the nest. When I arrived yesterday afternoon one of the adult eagles was barely visible in the nest. She did not leave the nest yesterday and has not left today. Incubation is definitely on! - Ron Jolly, ADCNR video producer Some bald eagles in Alabama begin nesting as early as December, though most begin in January. Young adults usually lay one egg, older adults two, and rarely three eggs are laid. Incubation is 30-32 days, but this can vary slightly according to how many eggs are laid, the weather and the time between the laying of individual eggs. Both adults build the nest, co-parent the young and brood the hatchlings until they can thermoregulate. As the juveniles begin to grow the adults spend less time at the nest, sometimes only flying in to bring food. When the hatchlings are small they are susceptible to predation by other predatory birds. Adults will remain nearby often within sight of the nest. As the young grow larger they are not as susceptible to predation and within a few weeks are larger than many other adult birds of prey. - Keith Hudson, Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries