On August 15, 2026, a marten returned after midnight to the Booted Eagle nest in Alto Tajo Natural Park in Guadalajara, Spain. The Booted Eagle chick taken in the frantic struggle was only 38 days old as Mom fought to keep the predator away. Hours later, she was still guarding the nest—but there was no chick beneath her wings.
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Booted Eagle Chick Taken as Marten Returns After Midnight
The nest was quiet when the marten suddenly slipped into the tree. Mom reacted immediately, spreading her wings and striking toward the intruder as she placed herself between the predator and her chick.
The marten refused to retreat. In the darkness, it darted around the cramped nest with astonishing speed while Mom turned to block each move. Wings, talons and fur collided as she fought to keep the youngster covered, but the marten finally slipped around her defense. It reached the chick and pulled the youngster toward the edge as Mom lunged after them. Within seconds, the 38-day-old eagle disappeared over the side of the nest with the predator.
After the marten disappeared with the chick, Mom stood at the edge with her wings spread wide. She stayed that way as she searched the nest and surrounding darkness, slowly shifting her position while holding the same defensive posture. The frantic struggle was over. The nest was suddenly empty.
Mom Continued Guarding the Empty Nest
Mom remained on high alert long after the marten disappeared. She watched the tree and surrounding forest while holding a defensive posture over the nest. At times, she mantled over the same place where her youngster had been only moments earlier. Nothing moved beneath her wings.
The scene was especially difficult knowing this predator had visited before. On other evenings, the marten had climbed into the tree and pushed dangerously close to the youngster. Mom had driven it away during those earlier marten attacks at the Booted Eagle nest, keeping her chick safe each time. This encounter ended differently. The Booted Eagle chick taken from the nest had spent every day of its short life in this tree. Now Mom stood alone in the nest she had fought so fiercely to defend.
Growing Wings, But No First Flight
The youngster had hatched on July 8 as a tiny white chick tucked beneath Mom. In just over five weeks, dark feathers filled its growing wings, warm brown began replacing the pale down, and those early wobbly movements gave way to confident steps and enthusiastic wing exercises. Its instincts were emerging, too. The chick eagerly greeted food deliveries and had already begun mantling over prey, small signs of the young eagle it was becoming. With the second egg never hatching, it was the pair’s only chick of the season. By August 15, the youngster was 38 days old, with more growing and its first flight still ahead. Instead, the season ended before those growing wings ever carried it beyond the nest.
Directo Natura makes this live cam experience possible. Video clip recorded and shared on YouTube by Bird Parenting.
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FAQ
How old was the Booted Eagle chick when the marten took it?
The chick was 38 days old on August 15, 2026. It had hatched on July 8 and had grown rapidly during its weeks in the nest.
Where was the Booted Eagle nest?
The nest was located in Alto Tajo Natural Park in Guadalajara, Spain.
Had the marten visited the nest before?
Yes. The marten had approached or entered the nest on other evenings. Mom successfully drove it away during those earlier encounters and kept her chick safe.
Did the Booted Eagle chick survive the attack?
The marten carried the chick from the nest, and the youngster did not return. What happened after they disappeared into the darkness was not seen, but the 38-day-old chick was presumed lost to the predator.
