A pair of eaglets born in a nest on a pine tree at the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) in Hamilton now have names.
“Mig” and “Izi”, taken from the Ojibwe (Anishinaabemowin) word for bald eagle “Migizi,” received their monikers via a contest that ran for just under two weeks.
Potential bird watchers with binoculars should be able to see the youngsters for most of the summer near the MarshWalk Boardwalk at Cootes Paradise, according to the head of natural lands for the RBG, Tys Theysmeyer.
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“We know they’re going to hang around at the nest all summer, the parents and the kids,” Theysmeyer told Global News.
“But they’ll flap their wings and leave the nest for the first time about the first day of summer.”
Visitors can make the 1.2-kilometer trek from the Arboretum to see the new birds with binoculars.
Park officials estimate the circumference of the nest may be some five to six feet in size in a 120-foot tree.
It’s unclear if they will make the park their permanent home, according to Theysmeyer.
The RBG is also raising funds toward habitat restoration by offering bald eagle stuffed animals made from 100 per cent recycled materials with an RBG Conservation Certificate.