The missing bird at the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam nest in February 2026 was F23, an adult female bald eagle—not an eaglet. Her eaglet, E26, remained at the nest and later fledged successfully after F23’s mate, M15, raised it alone.
F23 was last seen on the livestream at about 8:12 a.m. on February 27, 2026. A dead bald eagle was recovered roughly one to two miles away that same day, but public reports did not establish a conclusive identification. On March 4, the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam said it was presuming F23 had died.
What happened to F23?
F23 was one of the adult bald eagles at the famous Bayshore Road nest in North Fort Myers, Florida. The nest sits on the Pritchett property and is monitored by the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam.
Viewers last saw F23 on the nest camera at approximately 8:12 a.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026. She did not return, and subsequent reports from people familiar with the area suggested that a dead bald eagle had been found nearby.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recovered the carcass on February 27, approximately one to two miles from the nest. Officials reportedly found no evidence of foul play and gave a preliminary assessment that blunt-force trauma from a vehicle strike was the most likely cause. That explanation was not presented as a final, publicly documented forensic identification of F23.
On March 4, the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam described F23 as presumed dead. That wording matters: the timing, location and credible reports strongly pointed toward the recovered eagle being F23, but public coverage did not establish that the remains had been conclusively identified.
What happened to the eaglet?
F23’s mate, M15, was left caring for their surviving eaglet, E26, by himself. E26 had hatched on December 18, 2025, and remained at the nest after F23 disappeared.
M15 continued feeding and guarding E26. The young eagle eventually fledged on March 10, 2026. That means the commonly repeated description that “the eaglets disappeared” is inaccurate for this event: the eaglet survived and left the nest normally after being raised by a single parent.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| December 18, 2025 | E26 hatches at the Bayshore Road nest. |
| February 27, 2026 | F23 is last seen at about 8:12 a.m.; FWC recovers a dead bald eagle nearby. |
| March 4, 2026 | The Southwest Florida Eagle Cam says it presumes F23 has died. |
| March 10, 2026 | E26 fledges after M15 raises the eaglet alone. |
Why did people debate the explanation?
The central uncertainty was not whether F23 had vanished from the nest. It was whether the nearby carcass had been conclusively identified as F23 and how thoroughly the death had been investigated.
Later coverage criticized what some observers viewed as an inadequate investigation and questioned whether enough information about a necropsy or identification process had been made public. Those concerns fueled online speculation, but they did not produce verified evidence that F23 was intentionally killed, poisoned or taken from the area.
The reported official position remained that there was no evidence of foul play and that a vehicle strike was the most likely explanation. Until wildlife officials publish stronger identification or forensic findings, it is more accurate to say that F23 is presumed dead, likely after blunt-force trauma, rather than to state that every detail has been proven.
Why this story is being confused with earlier nest tragedies
This nest has experienced another high-profile disappearance. Harriet, the female who preceded F23, disappeared in February 2023. Her body was never found, and her cause of death was never publicly established. M15 later raised Harriet’s two eaglets, E21 and E22, until they fledged.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Rank #3
- Factory sealed DVD
There is also a separate story involving E24 and E25, two eaglets from the 2024–25 season. Both died in January 2025, and the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza as the cause. Those deaths involved two eaglets; the 2026 incident involved the disappearance of an adult female.
What viewers should take away
- F23 was an adult breeding female, not an eaglet.
- E26 did not disappear. The eaglet remained at the nest and fledged on March 10, 2026.
- F23’s death was presumed, not publicly confirmed beyond doubt. A nearby dead eagle was considered credible evidence, but reports did not establish a conclusive identification.
- A vehicle strike was the leading reported explanation. It should not be described as a definitively proven cause unless officials release final findings.
- There is no verified evidence of intentional killing or abduction. Debate about the investigation is not proof of a crime.
For people who followed the nest, the loss was especially painful because M15 had already survived the disappearance of a previous mate. Still, E26’s successful fledging showed that M15 was able to continue providing care after F23 was gone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Did the eaglets at the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam nest disappear?
No. In the February 2026 incident, the missing bird was F23, the adult female bald eagle. Her eaglet, E26, stayed at the nest and fledged on March 10, 2026.
Was F23’s body found?
A dead bald eagle was recovered about one to two miles from the nest on February 27, 2026, the same day F23 was last seen. Public reports did not establish a conclusive identification, so the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam described F23 as presumed dead.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
How did F23 most likely die?
The reported preliminary assessment was blunt-force trauma most likely caused by a vehicle strike. Officials reportedly found no evidence of foul play, but the vehicle-strike explanation should not be treated as a final forensic finding unless additional official evidence is released.
Who raised E26 after F23 disappeared?
M15, F23’s mate, raised E26 alone after F23 vanished. E26 remained at the nest, developed normally and successfully fledged on March 10, 2026.
The Bottom Line
The accurate version is that F23, an adult female bald eagle, disappeared from the North Fort Myers nest in February 2026 and was later presumed dead after a nearby eagle carcass was recovered. Her eaglet E26 survived, was raised by M15 and fledged successfully. A vehicle strike was the leading reported explanation, but the public record did not conclusively identify the remains or establish every forensic detail.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Recommended Free Tools
