Researchers save eaglet in rescue captured on livestream

Ecologists on Catalina Island, California, performed a daring rescue on Tuesday, scaling down the side of a cliff to save a bald eagle chick that had fallen from its nest.

The eaglet was inadvertently knocked from its nest overlooking Two Harbors on Monday after one of its parents went to take flight and kicked the chick with its talon, prompting the eaglet to fall several feet down the cliff, according to video.

The entire ordeal was livestreamed via the Two Harbors Bald Eagle Cam, hosted by the Institute for Wildlife Studies and Explore.org. The chick is the only eaglet in the nest.

On Tuesday, a team led by Dr. Peter Sharpe -- a wildlife ecologist with IWS who directs its bald eagle projects -- successfully rescued the eaglet around 11 a.m. Pacific time, returning the bird to its nest and reinforcing the edges with stronger branches.

"There was a lot of concern from folks who watch the cam regularly, and they were really hoping that Dr. Sharpe and his crew would be able to make it out there last night," Dick Johnson, operations manager for IWS, said. "But with darkness approaching, it was not something that would have been safe to do."

Miraculously, the eaglet survived through the night outside of its nest, which gave Sharpe and his team the opportunity to rappel down the side of the rock, place the eaglet in a gym bag and hoist it back up to its nest.

The eaglet is now resting safely in the nest, according to video.

"Dr. Sharpe's been doing this for many years. He is one of the premier experts in the field and he is very dedicated," Johnson said. "So we applaud him here, that's for sure."