Attention Big Bear Bald Eagles family fans! The young stars of this saga have taken some small yet significant steps in their main mission: flying for the first time! The almost eight weeks old sibling duo, now know how to flap their wings just like mom and dad, Jackie and Shadow. But in the past few hours, they’ve made even more progress.
According to the live stream records from Friends Of Big Bear Live on YouTube, collected by the YouTube channel Lady Hawk, two major events have taken place since the start of the week. These milestones bring the siblings closer to conquering the California skies!
First, Sunny and Gizmo achieved self-feeding, with a little help from mom, of course. Jackie showed up in the nest with a delicious breakfast: a partially eaten fish, which was shared by her feathered offspring. This milestone comes at just the right time, as self-feeding is crucial for bald eagle survival, marking the transition from dependency on parental care to independence and foraging skills.
The second big milestone came just two days ago when, during a break by Jackie, the eaglets were left alone in the nest. To the surprise of viewers, Sunny unlocked a new skill: she was able to stand on one leg! But why is this important? Well, as reported by The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota: bald eagles cover their bare feet and toes to protect these featherless areas, further warming their feet by standing on one leg and alternating which foot gets tucked closest to the body.
Minutes later, both practiced for their first flight in a brief session of “synchronized flapping”…
So will Sunny and Gizmo fly any time soon? In general, bald eagles typically take flight around 10-12 weeks of age, which means we can expect to see them leaving the nest for the first time in about a month, or sooner… So, stay tune for upcoming news!