Patch Op-Ed: Why Don’t the Glen Hazel Bald Eagles Have Names Yet?

For years now, Pittsburgh has quietly watched the bald eagles of Glen Hazel, formerly known as the Hays eagles, live out their lives in real time.

We watched when their nest blew down in last year’s storm. We watched them rebuild it from scratch.

And now, we are watching again as a new egg rests beneath them.

So, here is the question that needs to be asked.

Why don’t the Hays-Glen Hazel bald eagles have names yet?

Egg-actly! Eagle pairs across the country have names. From Big Bear to Decorah, eagle families are known by name. Pittsburgh’s own pair rebuilt after disaster and still remains unnamed. Their chicks have names. From east coast to west coast, north to south, communities name the wildlife they follow because naming leads to knowing, knowing leads to caring, and caring leads to protection.

We are emotionally invested in this pair. We followed their loss when the storm took their nest. We followed their comeback when they rebuilt. Now we are watching over their egg like it belongs to all of us.

If this eaglet hatches, what exactly are we supposed to call it?

Thing One? Thing Two?

These eagles chose Pittsburgh again. They stayed. They rebuilt. They laid an egg.

It is time we choose them back.

Let’s stir up some good trouble and finally give Hays-Glen Hazel’s bald eagles the names they have earned. Let’s put it to a community vote. Turn it into a fundraiser. Make it educational for our schools.

Because if we have followed them this long, the least we can do is call them by name.