They Grow Up Fast – Twin Eaglets are Learning How to Fly – See Heartwarming Photos

Just like we humans go to the gym to strengthen our core, baby Eagles need to strengthen their legs and wings before taking their first flight. Our wildlife photographer, William Straite, captures the Susquehanna River Eaglet twins "branching."

William has followed the twins as they have grown from three weeks old to become fledglings and before long, Immature Bald Eagles. Looking back at the original photos and comparing them to their current appearance, it's hard to believe these guys are only about 12-weeks old.

their wings have filled in with feathers capable of obtaining flight, they eat the food dropped off by both parents without further help and they spend their days flapping their wings while jumping to build strength and practicing to take off for flight.

With their parents keeping a watchful eye, the twins jump back and from the nest to nearby branches as they face the most perilous time of their young lives. One slip or loss of balance and they could fall from the nest to the ground below resulting in almost certain doom. They don't have the strength or ability to fly back to the nest or forage for food. William says their parents are helpless in returning them to the nest and they become the victims of either starvation or predators like coyotes.

both Eaglets spend a great deal of time intensely looking over the edge of the nest and down at the ground. One has to wonder are they attempting to gauge how to take off in flight, or do they realize the ramifications of a failed first flight.

Check out the William's amazing photos below. You can see the true raptors the twins are becoming and the awareness in the eye. Keep scrolling to see photos of the pair when they were three weeks old as well as their parents teaching them to eat.