DNR EagleCam Fans Can Now Listen In

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's reality TV with eagles. The DNR's live eagle camera became public in 2012. It's been viewed by people in 180 different countries and all 50 states. But up until now, the eagles could be seen yet not heard.

"People are so far very happy with it. They are making lots of comments online and sending us notes that they really appreciate it and they really love hearing them," said Lori Naumann information officer with the DNR.

Naumann operates the eagle camera. She said it's taken a few years to get the audio right. They're using a piece of plywood to try and block out nearby traffic noise.

Floyd Security provided the microphone and Xcel Energy used a boom truck to put everything in place more than 100 feet off the ground.

It's a new twist, with classrooms around the world in mind. There are pictures of students in Cambodia learning about the eagle cam in class. The eagle pair themselves are new, taking over the nest earlier this year and they appear to be in the honeymoon stage.

"They are always together. They are hanging around right next to each other all the time," said Naumann.

Facebook fans have nicknamed them Sid and Nancy.

Their screeches change depending on if they are talking to each other or other birds. The hope is that Sid and Nancy have eaglets so they too can be heard.

"That's the other piece of the microphone that will be nice to listen to. You can hear the peeping of the chicks. They peep, that's what they sound like," said Naumann.

The DNR said the female eagle could lay eggs between now and March. Eagles usually lay between 1 and 4 eggs at a time.

The web camera has had 15,000 hits in the last 6 days and as many as 150 people are watching at any given time.

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