Today on Keeping Up With the Big Bear Eagles… The sibling pair, Sunny and Gizmo, just keep growing stronger and healthier. A few days ago, we told you how they had become experts at self-feeding the food that mom Jackie brought to the nest, and how Sunny was already standing on one leg.
Today, we’ve noticed that Gizmo’s flapping is getting stronger while Sunny is getting better at balancing and very involved with the nesting materials… But more importantly, she’s hopping on the nest! With all these developments, we’re all asking: when will the duo fly?
Sunny, the first eaglet, hatched on March 4, 2025. Gizmo arrived a few days later, making their journey a little different in terms of timing, but both are progressing at a similar pace. Bald eagles typically make their first flight, known as fledging, between 10 and 14 weeks after hatching, according to the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey.
Since we’re dealing with wild animals, we can’t predict exact dates, but we can think of a rough estimate. For Sunny and Gizmo, this means their first flight could happen anytime between mid-May and mid-June. If they keep growing at their current pace, they might fledge as early as the week of May 13, if we’re being optimistic. But it could also happen during the week of May 27 or even the over June 10.
When we asked Friends of Big Bear Valley about the siblings, they said: “Eaglets develop fast and will be fully grown by the time they take their first flight. Sunny and Gizmo should stay around the nest and surrounding area for a few weeks after that, maybe even a month or more. Mom and Dad will follow them around and show them the ropes (branches, in their case). While their cycles are somewhat predictable, we’ve learned that nature isn’t — and each bald eagle has its own distinct personality. As we know, Jackie and Shadow don’t always follow the rules we set for them.”
That being said, make sure to tune in to the live stream from Friends Of Big Bear Valley on YouTube, so you don’t miss what promises to be an epic and emotional milestone in these eaglets journey!