3 Bald Eagles Take First Flight From Duke Farms Nest In Hillsborough

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — All three young Bald Eagles of 2025 have officially fledged and taken their first flight from the Duke Farms nest in Hillsborough.

H58 (first hatched eaglet) fledged on May 17 followed by H57 (last hatched eaglet) fledged on May 23, and finally H59 (middle hatched eaglet) fledged on May 26.

"We're so happy to share that three young Bald Eagles have officially fledged from the Duke Farms nest, which shows the power of restoring healthy forests and rivers in New Jersey," said Margaret Waldock, Executive Director of Duke Farms. "An eagle pair needs access to a lot of food to raise three healthy chicks, so we know that Raritan River restoration and reforestation efforts are making a difference. When folks come out to visit Duke Farms this summer, we hope they'll take a little time to learn about our ongoing environmental restoration work and how each of us can make New Jersey healthier for all its residents."

The eagle chicks, known as eaglets, were fitted with uniquely identifying metal leg bands (H57, H58, and H59) by NJ DEP biologists on April 10. The eaglets hatched on Feb. 25, 27, and 28, earlier this year.

The exact date of when the eggs were laid is unclear as the eagle cam was out of service following two motor vehicle crashes in December 2024 and January 2025. When the camera came back online Feb. 4, the three eggs could be seen.

Duke Farms is a living lab that develops model strategies for nature restoration, wildlife conservation, and clean energy transition on 2,700 acres in Hillsborough. Duke Farms is a center of the Doris Duke Foundation, which strives to build a more creative, equitable, and sustainable future.

To catch a glimpse of the bald eagles, watch the Dukes Farms camera live at dukefarms.org/eaglecam.