Web Celeb Eagles Survive Spring Snow

decorah-eagles-snow-110425-02 — The Decorah eagles can't catch a break. (Image credit: Raptor Resource Project.)

First, they dodged a tornado. Then they braced against whipping winds and pouring rain. Now the Web celebrity Decorah eagle family has survived a late spring snowstorm.

A wildly popular webcam has been focused on the eagle family in Iowa, drawing millions of viewers as the chicks hatched. The last of the three newborns hatched April 6, and their first month of life has been full of tough challenges.

On April 16, a late spring snowstorm coated the family's nest. Both parents stayed huddled over the eaglets to keep them warm.

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On April 8, northwest Iowa was hit by several tornadoes. 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. [Related: Storm Chasers Capture Iowa Twin Tornadoes on Video ]

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Winter hazards aren't the only thing with which the new baby eagles are learning to cope. Even seemingly mundane tasks -- like going to the bathroom -- take some practice.

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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.