Record-breaking nesting season for bald eagles
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) reported that bald eagle nesting season runs from Oct. 1 through May 15 in Florida, though some nests may remain active longer if they still have young in the nest that have not yet fledged.
Following a strong start, Sanibel and Captiva experienced another highly successful nesting season with a total of 13 eaglets fledged — the highest count on record.
On Sanibel, four out of five nests were successful, each producing two healthy young eaglets. On Captiva, all three nests were successful, and a total of five eaglets fledged.
For those following the Captiva eagle cam, eaglet “Quinn” fledged and then moved over to another nest on the island to visit with younger friends and show off its flight skills as they learned their own.
The SCCF reported that unfortunately, the nest on North Captiva did not fare as well, having failed after a territorial fight. Hopefully, they will be successful next season.
“Overall, it was a great year for the islands’ bald eagles, and we look forward to working with our amazing volunteers and partners this fall for the 2026-27 nesting season,” shorebird biologist Audrey Albrecht said.
For more information about the SCCF’s eagle monitoring program, visit https://sccf.org/what-we-do/protect-wildlife/bald-eagles/.
To reach SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, please email