After weeks of watching and waiting, the two chicks of Big Bear’s bald eagle family are about ready to take their first flights. That means the tens of thousands of eagle enthusiasts are officially on “fledge watch.”
“Fledge” is the term for what happens when an eaglet develops wing feathers large enough to take flight, and does so for the first time. Eagles typically fledge between 10 and 14 weeks. Sunny, the bigger chick, officially reached 10 weeks of age on Tuesday, while Gizmo, the smaller chick, will hit that milestone on Saturday.
According to Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit group that runs the eagle cameras, it may take the two chicks a bit longer to fly, based on their current development.
Sunny and Gizmo currently measure about 3 feet tall with a wingspan of more than 5 feet. That makes them about the same size as their dad, Shadow. Both chicks have been flapping their wings and jumping around the nest to prepare for the big day.
Friends of Big Bear Valley also say that once the chicks do start to fly, parents Jackie and Shadow will follow them around for a while to keep them safe and make sure they can hunt their own food. After they become self-sufficient, the eaglets will fly off to start their own independent lives.
Jackie and Shadow are expected to return to the nest to start rebuilding and preparing for their next round of eggs in the fall.
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