On this New Year’s Eve Jackie and Shadow informed us that it is indeed time for Egg Watch 2024…
As the sun was setting, Jackie issued a special vocal invitation to Shadow from her favorite branch on the Roost Tree 2. Shadow understood immediately that mating was in order, hopped onto her back (carefully, with his talons tucked so as not to hurt her!) and briefly joined cloacas together to transfer genetic material. Even though it always happens in a don’t-blink-or-you-will-miss-it manner, Shadow’s special chortles during the act keep us in the loop even when it happens off camera.
There are two very popular questions we get after observing mating behavior: How long does it take to produce an egg after mating? When can we expect an egg?
Contrary to human logic, birds aren’t actually making eggs when they mate. Female birds can lay eggs with or without the mating process. Frequent mating is important to ensure that future eggs will be fertile and will develop into chicks.
Since the female can store sperm in her reproductive tract (oviduct) for long periods of time (likely days and even weeks), it allows them to lay fertile eggs even weeks apart from mating. One mating, if Shadow times it right, may be enough to fertilize the entire clutch.
If they really are getting ready as they seem to have announced, we may expect an increase in nesting behavior as Jackie gets closer to laying an egg: more bonding and spending time together, beaky-kisses and love nips, shaping and testing of the nest bowl by lying down (something that eagle watchers call “pancaking”), and of course more mating, often actively solicited by Jackie.
To answer the questions posed in the beginning: Jackie will lay eggs when she becomes fertile, and not a moment sooner. And only she and mother nature determine when that happens. While egg-laying does not necessarily require mating, seeing the act or hearing Shadow’s “special chortles” is a great sign that things are moving along in the right direction.
In the past, Jackie laid eggs between January and March. We can’t wait to see how their story unfolds.
Happy New Year and Egg Watch to all!
Cali
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