Decorah N2B 17/07/4

There is a 20% speed slow motion clip of D26 grabbing D27's foot then D28's foot at the end of the video at 3:11. I used fast motion for some of D27's nest and skywalk perching time. I used fast motion for some of D27's nest and skywalk perching time.
0:11 D27 flies into the nest and looks around
0:32 D27 heads for the skywalk
0:35 D27 hops onto the skywalk and calls
0:58 D27 calls from the skywalk
1:07 D28 flies in to the skywalk landing above D27
1:10 D28 flies into the nest
1:12 D27 hops down to the nest
1:43 D27 turns to the right to face the back of the nest
1:45 D26 leaps at D27 shoving him or her in front of the vertical branch facing left
1:50 D26 grabs D27's foot, hangs on and tugs on it
1:53 D28 flies down to the nest
1:59 D27 uses his or her wings to assist in moving to the back of the nest then right while D26 continues to hold on to his or her foot
2:02 D27 breaks free and escapes to the skywalk
2:06 D26 grabs D28's foot
2:08 D28 breaks free
2:09 D26 grabs D28's foot again and D28 breaks free right away
2:11 D26 grabs D28's foot a third time
2:16 D28 breaks free and heads for the skywalk
2:18 D27 and D28 move up on the skywalk then D28 hangs his or her head in a submissive posture
D26 moves to perch at the bottom of the skywalk but leaves D28 alone
2:57 D27 raises his or her head

[@chrysology]

Smart bird.

[@vanda6121]

They didn't want to get pedicures!! 😂😂😂

[@davereynolds5376]

Thanks prairiefirewind! My take on this is 26 was herding the others off the nest so any food that would come in would be his. Seems really mean but this eagle will survive "out there" just my thought.

[@vanda6121]

They didn't want to go from the podiatrist!! 👣🤭

[@mrst7831]

I see breakfish wasn't ready on time!! Ungrateful chickletts fighting among themselves just like kids at the breakfast table. "Don't look at me!" or "you're not the boss of me!"

[@Gigi714]

Is this a repeat thing and is it abnormal or par for the course? Are parents leaving the eaglets alone now that they are all flying?

[@prairiefirewind]

I am not qualified to speculate as to whether this is generally common Bald Eagle behavior among siblings but the the eaglets surely do often go after a parent's foot when the parent is delivering food. The eaglets will also sometimes go after a parent's foot if no food comes in to the nest with the parent.
The parents will continue to care for the fledglings until they disperse. While the parents and fledglings may not be in frequent close proximity to one another Mom and Dad will know where their young are located.

[@johnkmatsch]

how many days old are they now?

[@prairiefirewind]

D26 (hatched 3/31/17) is 13 weeks 5 days old, D27 (hatched 4/01/17) is 13 weeks 4 days old and D28 (hatched 4/04/17) is 13 weeks 1 day old.

[@charzpak7173]

parents should have heard all three by now

[@peggy8526]

what has gotten into D26? biteing the other eaglet foot.

[@prairiefirewind]

I'm guessing that D26's excitement level was high in anticipation of food possibly arriving. When no food arrived D26 likely got quite frustrated. When D27 moved D26 may have thought he or she was trying to make a getaway with some food and went for D27's foot in a reactive mode. Once all the aggression brain chemicals had kicked in D26 probably just continued the aggression and went after D28's foot.
When excitement levels are high rational thinking tends to go the way of the wind for humans, other mammals and birds. Their behavior may not reflect their best judgment or even seem particularly logical.

[@peggy8526]

prairiefirewind thank you so much