What We Do: Inspire
An adult Bald Eagle carries greenery to the nest. Photo © Scott Kelly.
The American Eagle Foundation understands the importance of raising a new generation that will appreciate the unsurpassed beauty of our planet and the creatures with whom we share it.
One of the most majestic creatures on the planet is the Bald Eagle. The symbol of our country, it once again flies free and strong over the skies of America, and our Eagle Cams allow hundreds of thousands of people to watch the everyday life of an eagle family raising their young; keeping their nest home secure and strong; bringing food to their babies, and gently giving them their first tiny bites of nourishment. Our viewers can watch the eaglets grow strong and fly free—and that is the greatest inspiration we can think of!
On our Chat Forum—found on all our cam pages—skilled moderators guide a discussion to educate and inspire all those watching. In addition, we provide private question and answer sessions that are set up for classrooms with students from all ages, from kindergarten through high school. The positive responses we have received from the "chatters" who participate; the glowing reports from teachers about how engaged the students are while participating, fully demonstrate the effectiveness of our moderated cam program.
Every time we conduct a Birds of Prey show at a school or park, every time we visit a Veteran's Hospital with an eagle on our glove, or allow Challenger to soar above a packed stadium or other venue as our National Anthem is being performed, audience members are touched and moved by the beauty of these creatures.
We challenge students, clubs, civic organizations, and individuals to advocate for the Bald Eagle by participating in American Eagle Day on June 20th of each year, providing downloadable packets to help them channel their energies and creativity in the most efficient way.
New York Yankees former owner George Steinbrenner, after seeing Challenger fly at Yankee Stadium, said: "Watching Challenger fly, I was prouder to be an American than at any other time in my life. I thought I might burst with pride."
Mr. Steinbrenner's sentiment has been echoed by millions of others who have been fortunate to see the "Bald Eagle Poster Eagle" fly – in person or on our YouTube videos, which have gone viral.
Yes, we inspire, and we will continue to do all we can in the future to lift up, challenge, and educate millions more about our mission, the importance of conservation, and what each of us can do to leave our planet and its creatures in a better, safer place for the generations who come after us.
The American Eagle Foundation is grateful to receive testimonials from individuals and classroom teachers who have been inspired by watching our live streaming HD Eagle Cams online, by those who have seen Bald Eagle Challenger fly free into stadiums, and by others who have attended our Wings of America birds of prey show at Dollywood.
Watching a wild family of eagles in the AEF-sponsored NE Florida nest has brought nature into the homes of hundreds of thousands of people. In 2016, AEF placed high definition video cams in the nest tree of a pair of Bald Eagles at the National Arboretum in Washington, DC. Millions of people watched this pair successfully raise 2 young eaglets. A deeper appreciation for the Bald Eagle and for their environment is what we hope will be the end result of the experience. Nearly everyone who watches comes away with a feeling of awe as they witness a newly-hatched eaglet grow into a proud strong eaglet, ready to stretch its wings and fly free.
A slightly different experience and appreciation is gained from watching our captive, non-releasable Bald Eagle pairs at Dollywood raise their young. Although disabled and unable to ever fly free again, these valiant eagles have raised almost 150 babies that the American Eagle Foundation has released into the wild, soaring from AEF's artificial nesting tower into the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.
We are proud to share some of the testimonials below:
From Teachers ~
"Thank you so much for all you do. My students light up when they see the cams every morning. It is a joy to share in their learning and excitement. My class is consumed with this and very much engaged. I am so proud of them. Vocabulary is increasing, reading fluency is up." MsAng
"Third graders love love love all the mods, camera person, our eagle family and will continue to "perch" daily to learn more! Thank you for your patience. We loved it!!" (Gettysburg, PA) Lincoln3
"Close to the end of this session. Kids watching. Asking questions. Reading. Answers provided from those who have a passion for and studied the grand birds. Kids' awareness of eagles raised, perhaps stimulating their interest in wildlife in general. The technology for it all. It's just stunning. I am humbled to witness this." Roy
"From day 1 you mods and zoomies have been wonderful. You've always treated us kindly and never made us feel inferior with our questions, so we were always comfortable asking anything. Thank You for all your kindness and patience. It is and will always be greatly appreciated." Djc-npt
"You and all the moderators and zoomers are just out of this world. Your love for what you are doing and the patience and love for fellow eagle lovers, young and old, make your nest addicting! One can feel the "love" the chatters and all of you share." Lisa
From Individuals ~
"The best part of my year has been getting to read about all the great places and people rescuing and saving so many birds and wildlife that I never knew existed a year ago and meeting Challenger Eagle." Lane Carroll
"I love watching these two parents and their devotion to the young. Thank you so much for the "window" into the intimate lives of the Wild." Marion Natale
"I really don't know how to write things down but, I was sitting here this morning watching Romeo and Juliet like I do every morning. The joy they bring me, the peace of mind I get from them. I laugh at them, they are so so precious to watch. I wonder sometimes what they think as they look out over the Hamlet. It has made a change in my life how I feel about things, cause if you watch them long enough life is so beautiful. I'd like to thank AEF, Al and all the other people who make this possible for me and all the people to see. Thank you so much." Judy Mills
"Hello! First time here at your beautiful nest. I follow another, and wanted to stop by and compliment you on your beautiful new babies, and stunning camera that I have been hearing about. Wow…that's it…just wow." HuckSnow
"I have watched a lot of different bird cams & I am so very impressed with the cam quality, amazing cam operators & knowledgeable mods. You are all first class." Gaye
"With all the troubles in the news, coming to this nest is like finding an oasis in the desert. Thank you for being here." PGlen
"I've watched lots a cams in the last few years; started out at NBG, and we all know what happened there. The streaming from your cams is absolutely awesome! The pictures are SO CLEAR and close up!! I've contacted 2 nursing homes in our town so they can watch the goings-on, and I contacted the head of the Science department at our high school. She said there are quite a few students who are interested in nature, and the cam will be a great addition to the classes." Barb Stolz
"Hi everyone. I can't tell you how much the ladies in my home have enjoyed watching. They all have special needs. They are worried today the babies may blow out of the nest. I wish you could see each morning how excited the 8 ladies are each morning to check on them. Each night before bed they want to see them and pray for them. It has been great." Debrajoy4109
"I've been a nestcam watcher since 2011 and this has been the sweetest, most loving nest I've ever seen. A total joy." Sherrie Moore
"Hard to believe that just 7 weeks ago they fit in an egg the size of a baseball and now they are 2′ tall and about 6-7lbs and self-feeding." Amy Karson
"The camera at this site are amazing. I enjoy the up close detail and clarity that no other site seems to give. Thank you for this window on THEIR world." DragonFly Dreams English
"Hi Everyone, my first chat log in. I've been lurking this season and most of last season with Sam & Deli. I just wanted to say a heartfelt Thank You to mods, camera operators, students and chatters. I've learned SO much. It's been a wonderful experience (I'm thoroughly addicted to eagles now, LOL). I'm watching several nests online. I cry every time I see a video of Challenger flying. So proud to be an AEF member." TigerLily
"I just wanted to drop you all a line and thank you for the joy that my mother and I have found by visiting your eagles nest. I started watching eagles last year and found Romeo and Juliet's nest. My mother does not have a computer so I would do videos for her and also take pictures of the nest and the process from eggs being laid to hatching, branching and fledging. My mother will be 101 on April 13, which is also Challenger's birthday, which thrills her.
This web site has given us so much, words cannot say. It has given us things to discuss and talk about. It has given her something to look forward to when I go over to see her. By the way she is still living in her own home with help from caregivers and myself. We have both learned so much from the NEFL site and the wonderful mods and chatters at that site.
She also loves watching Challenger when he makes his appearances at different events. She is just amazed at how he does what he does and it puts a smile on her face and mine.
I became a member this year and was thrilled to do so. Your work is so greatly appreciated and needed and God bless you for all that you do.
So again thank you so much. You have made our lives a little fuller!" Joan C. Chandler
Protection & Advocacy
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