Famous Baby Eagles Survive Rough Iowa Weather

The new Web-celeb baby eagles that hatched in recent weeks nearly took to the sky before they were ready.

Whipping winds, lightning and heavy rain threatened their nest over the weekend as severe weather hit their home of Decorah, Iowa. Luckily for the eaglets, one parent was the perfect shelter. The grown-up wobbled but didn't fall down.

A wildly popular webcam has been focused on the eagle family , drawing millions of viewers as the chicks hatched. The last of the three newborns hatched April 6, but the drama hasn't stopped.

The eagles braved Iowa's severe weather head-on. On April 8, northwest Iowa was hit by 32 reported tornadoes, with 10 confirmed so far. That ties an Iowa record for the biggest tornado outbreak in the month of April. [Related: Storm Chasers Capture Iowa Twin Tornadoes on Video ]

The tornadoes spared the eagles' nest, but the wind and thunderstorms did not. The action was caught on video as the wind nearly swept away the family.

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In another video, one eagle parent looks downright miserable while it acts like an umbrella for the babies.

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As if the weather wasn't enough, the eagles had to fend off a hungry owl that was lurking in the darkness.

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Don't worry, the eagle family is okay. Watch all the eaglet hatching videos and follow all the action on the nest's live webcam.

Email OurAmazingPlanet staff writer Brett Israel at bisrael@techmedianetwork.com. Follow him on Twitter @btisrael.

Brett Israel was a staff writer for Live Science with a focus on environmental issues. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from The University of Georgia, a master’s degree in journalism from New York University, and has studied doctorate-level biochemistry at Emory University.