First Bald Eagle Chick Hatches at Duke Farms

The first bald eagle chick of 2026 broke through its shell Sunday at 7:02 a.m. at Duke Farms in Hillsborough. Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ confirmed the hatching. It happened just before a snowstorm rolled through.

One egg cracked Friday and died. The egg stuck to an adult bird when she stood at 6:32 p.m. It tumbled outside the nest bowl, which made survival impossible.

A third egg sits in the nest. Duke Farms and Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ watch for a pip — that first tiny crack signaling life inside.

The first egg arrived Jan. 12 at 2:50 p.m. Parents laid the second on Jan. 15 at 12:42 p.m. Snow fell when the third came Sunday, Jan. 18 at 3:31 p.m. This nest has hosted eagles for 22 seasons. A new pair took charge in 2024 after the longtime male vanished during summer 2023.

Duke Farms sprawls across 2,700 acres at 1112 Dukes Parkway W in Hillsborough. Scientists use the property to study how nature heals, how animals thrive, and how clean power works.

"Duke Farms is a living lab where we develop model strategies for nature restoration, wildlife conservation, and clean energy transition," according to dukefarms.org, per Patch.com.

An eagle cam broadcasts the nest around the clock at dukefarms.org/eaglecam. Watchers can see the chick and its parents any time, day or night.