Second eaglet hatches on D.C. Eagle Cam

NEW YORK -- Just after 3 a.m. Sunday morning, the eaglet known as DC3 finally appeared on a live web cam. Its parents immediately scrounged up some food for the new baby and its two day old sibling DC2.

Social media is celebrating both births using #DCEagleCam.

The proud parents are known as Mr. President and the First Lady because they're the first mating pair to nest in Washington DC's National Arboretum, in nearly 70 years.

"People are really just emotionally connected to this because it's a shared group experience," said the District's wildlife biologist Dan Rauch. "I've been studying birds for now over 14 years and I've never had the opportunity to see a bald eagle hatch like this."

Jen Keefe is among the many fans, who couldn't turn away from the Eagle Cam. She explained why so many people are obsessed with the D.C. Eagle Cam.

"I think because it's the American bald eagle," Keefe said. "Our nation has always loved that bird. It's our national symbol and it's funny that they're in the capital."

Watching animals for hours at time is a growing phenomenon. Last year, millions watched panda bear Mei Xiang give birth to twin pandas -- only the third set ever born in the United States.

"It's a tool for both education and for research," Rauch said. "This one's a little different, the other live streams most of the one's you see they're in a captive environment that's from a zoo or it's another setting. This is actually a completely wild a completely unscripted and unfiltered so you see everything as it happens."

At the National Arboretum, a message below the live eagle cam warns viewers that you could see anything, from sibling rivalry to predators.

"I think with all the political turmoil going on, these little eaglets are something we can agree on," Keefe said.

In a few weeks the public will come up with names for the eaglets, because to the many who watched, this family is part of theirs too.