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‘Death Spirals’ Of Love: The Fascinating Behavior Of North Carolina Bald Eagles

WUNC | By Laura Pellicer,
Frank Stasio
Published July 13, 2017 at 12:29 PM EDT

Ellen Tinsley is acutely aware of the behavior and patterns of bald eagles in North Carolina. The retired equine veterinarian is a bald eagle monitor for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. She spends most mornings at Jordan Lake tracking the behavior of Petruchio, Kate, Hershey and Godiva – eagles who have nested in the area. 

Host Frank Stasio talks with Ellen Tinsley, a bald eagle monitor for the United States Army Corps of Engineers, about the raptor's history and behavior.

Among the rituals she has witnessed is one called a ‘death spiral,’ where a pair of bald eagles plummet to the earth with their talons entwined to test each other’s compatibility as a mate.

Host Frank Stasio speaks with Tinsley about the history of the bald eagle population in North Carolina.

Tinsley will lecture about bald eagles Saturday, July 15 at 2 p.m. and Saturday, August 12 at 2 p.m. at the Jordan Lake State Recreation Area Visitor Center. Her research is also compiled in an e-book entitled “Bald Eagles: Jordan Lake Neighborhood.”

Kate (right) and Petruchio (left) at First Nest.
Ellen Tinsley / Dreaming Song Photos
/
Dreaming Song Photos
Kate (right) and Petruchio (left) at First Nest.

Copyright 2017 North Carolina Public Radio
Laura Pellicer
Laura Pellicer is a producer with The State of Things (hyperlink), a show that explores North Carolina through conversation. Laura was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, a city she considers arrestingly beautiful, if not a little dysfunctional. She worked as a researcher for CBC Montreal and also contributed to their programming as an investigative journalist, social media reporter, and special projects planner. Her work has been nominated for two Canadian RTDNA Awards. Laura loves looking into how cities work, pursuing stories about indigenous rights, and finding fresh voices to share with listeners. Laura is enamored with her new home in North Carolina—notably the lush forests, and the waves where she plans on moonlighting as a mediocre surfer.
See stories by Laura Pellicer
Frank Stasio
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
See stories by Frank Stasio