Things got a little hairy, or rather feathery at a local bald eagle nest recently.
A bald eagle nest at the U.S. Steel Irvin Works in West Mifflin was invaded while a male eagle was protecting an egg.
U.S. Steel Mon Valley Plant Manager Don German tells KDKA Radio it happened last Sunday around 7:15 p.m. when Irvin, named after the Irvin Works, an intruder tried to fly in.
“You could see Irvin was starting to chatter a little bit as the other eagle was coming in,” said German, adding he doesn’t think the eagle, which he believes is a female, meant any harm.
But with an egg in the nest Irvin wasn’t putting up with it.
“Gave her a couple punches, wing slaps and basically sumo wrestler pushed her off the nest,” said German. “He basically kicked her butt and then came back.”
Eagles stay partners for life and his mate, Claire, named after the Clairton Works, was out hunting at the time.
The Western PA Audubon Society tells KDKA Radio that with a healthy population of eagles in Pittsburgh now, eagle attacks have become more common, with an eagle looking to take over a nest.
While he is the plant manager, German is the project lead with the nest. He says it’s the fourth season for the nest, that’s located in a sycamore tree off the Monongahela River right below plant, and only the second year they’ve had a camera.
WATCH: Live stream of the U.S. Irvin Eagle Cam
“I was the one, from the U.S. Steel standpoint, with the PA Game Commissioner and installed both cameras,” said German.
German says he’s proud the eagles have built their home on plant site, because you have to have clean air and water to attract a bald eagle nest.
The Pittsburgh area is lucky with eagle nests as well. German says only three cameras in the entire state are authorized by the Game Commission, theirs, the one in Hays and another one near Harrisburg.
Irvin also takes his act on the road, visiting thousands of students in the area at different schools to talk about the bald eagles and more.