Bald Eagles Stella and Irvin Hatch Three Eaglets at U.S. Steel Facility Near Pittsburgh

A pair of bald eagles, named Stella and Irvin, have hatched three eaglets at their nest near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. U.S. Steel Corporation's Mon Valley Works Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, approximately 12 miles southeast of the city.

The eaglets hatched within the last month, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The eagles began nesting at the facility in 2021. U.S. Steel installed a live camera shortly after to monitor the site.

The camera provides a livestream of the nest activity. com, which also offers written updates and annual nest statistics. Birdwatchers can view the eagles through this online platform. In-person sightings in the Pittsburgh area are possible, particularly near Point State Park where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio River.

eagles first nested in Pittsburgh in 2013, as documented by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.

This marked the first such occurrence in the city. The Pennsylvania Game Commission identifies southwestern Pennsylvania as having high potential for eagle population growth due to suitable habitat along rivers. For more reliable eagle sightings, the agency recommends locations north of Pittsburgh, including Erie National Wildlife Refuge, Conneaut Marsh, and Moraine State Park.

These areas provide protected environments for observing bald eagles. The species' presence reflects recovery efforts following decades of population declines from habitat loss and contaminants like DDT.

eagles were removed from the federal endangered species list in 2007 but remain protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

It is illegal to disturb the birds or their nests. Females typically lay one to three eggs between mid-February and late March, incubating them for about 35 days, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Eagles generally mate for life, seeking a new partner if one dies, according to the College of William and Mary. They can soar at 30 miles per hour and dive at up to 100 miles per hour, as reported by the National Eagle Center.

Bald eagles produce high-pitched whistling or piping calls, often described as weak-sounding, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds resource. Females may repeat a solitary soft, high-pitched note. These vocalizations differ from the dramatic screeches commonly portrayed in media.