Live Streaming Wildlife Cameras

In our busy lives we often fail to notice the wonders of nature all around us. The west coast is especially blessed with vital pockets of unspoiled wilderness. The best thing by far, however, is finding wildlife in its natural environment right in the city. A burgeoning enterprise has developed recently, mostly by charitable foundations and educational agencies, of setting up live bald eagle nest cameras. There are several in southwestern British Columbia, California and a popular one in Maine. Set up during autumn when the eagles fly north, the cameras and microphones point into the nest, sending a constant live stream out to the internet.

With a dedicated viewership, providers of this exciting web content hope to not only educate about their subject, but also to get funding in order to continue with their work. The large volumes of data gathered is an invaluable resource about a species previously found to be mysterious and reclusive. The bald eagle nest cams have already shown us that prevailing wisdom regarding nesting behaviour and feeding of young has been somewhat incorrect. Biologists around the world access the web stream, then share information with each other to update their databases.

Some of these websites have created so-called "Kids Zones", specifically for teachers to use as an educational tool. What better field trip after all, than to be able to sit in a classroom anywhere, and view real live wild bald eagles in their natural environment! Without disturbing the nest site or incurring travel costs.

As technology becomes more advanced, such vital information about our world will only be more accessible and easier to run on any computer. Interest multiplies exponentially as people come to view the puffy little grey balls of newborn eaglets, fall in love, and stay to watch in fascination as they grow. Into the end of July viewers are transfixed to see the juveniles fledge, then finally leave the nest for good.

The websites run contests to name the eaglets, print t-shirts, cards and posters, and sell CD's of the season's highlights to generate operating revenue. Viewers snap up the products, become walking advertisements, and bring in even more interest. Advertisers of anything from tour groups, salmon fishing lodges, computer equipment, cameras, biology reference books and more line up to get featured status.

The fan base has expanded to the point that viewers see a certain eagle family as 'their own', becoming very attached and spending countless hours watching the live stream. Captures of the best moments are shared on community forums and media galleries for people to watch at their leisure. After a long winter of an empty eagles' nest with only the occasional visit from either adult (during which time technical work and camera maintenance takes place) people return in ever greater numbers to see what 'their' eagles are going to do this year.