In what might be the most notable feathered birth of the year in Pittsburgh, a pair of bald eagles named Stella and Irvin at the U.S. Steel Irvin Plant in West Mifflin are now proud parents. The first eaglet of the season, designated USS 8, hatched early Thursday morning, marking the eighth successful hatch at this particular nest. While three eggs were initially in play, U.S. Steel officials have noted that the first egg, laid on February 13, unfortunately, seems to be non-viable.
This new eaglet emerging from the shell is all the rage for local bird watchers. According to CBS News, the second egg, which produced the hatchling, was laid on February 16. Eagle-eyed enthusiasts remain glued to the live stream, awaiting the potential hatching of the third egg, laid on February 19. "The eaglets have something called an egg tooth and it's a little kind of nub on their beak, and they use it to push through the egg," Rachel Handel of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania described. The hatching process offers a peek into the precise mechanics of nature at work.
The eagle couple shares parental duties equally, with Stella and Irvin taking turns keeping the newborn warm and well-fed. As reported by WPXI, the dad, Irvin, has already been seen delivering a fish to the nest—a staple in the diet, considering the nest's location along the Monongahela River.
In the meantime, Pittsburgh residents and virtual spectators nationwide are fixated on the growing family, rooting for the survival and thriving of these magnificent birds' new generation, which symbolizes so much in American culture and beyond.
