Cooperative breeding is a mystery that scientists have spent decades trying to unravel. It occurs among not only birds but also mammals, fish, and even insects. It is not necessarily a mating system per se, but has more to do with how adults care for their young.
Bald Eagle nest video cameras have provided an opportunity for viewers to observe and document 2 instances of cooperative breeding: on Catalina Island from 1992-2007, and near Lock & Dam 13 on the Mississippi River from 2014 through the present (winter 2018). Published literature includes 6 additional reports of cooperative breeding at Bald Eagle nests, in Alaska, Minnesota, Connecticut, New York, Texas, and British Columbia.
Through several pages on this site I attempt to make sense of some of the mysteries of cooperative breeding and explore the behavior among raptors, including descriptions of each of the known cases of cooperative breeding among Bald Eagles.