Karmactive Staff
After weeks of preparation, Sunny, one of two young bald eagles in Big Bear, achieved a significant milestone in her journey toward independence. During a windy afternoon on May 29, 2025, Sunny hovered for approximately three seconds above the nest, marking an important step before her first official flight.
The two eaglets, Sunny and Gizmo, hatched in early March (Sunny on March 3 and Gizmo on March 4) and have been closely watched by tens of thousands of online viewers through a live webcam operated by Friends of Big Bear Valley, a nonprofit organization that monitors the nest overlooking Big Bear Lake in California.
“After much observation and some fairly definitive vocal frequency analysis, we believe that even though Sunny, as the older one, is now smaller than Gizmo, she is also female,” said Sandy Steers, Executive Director of Friends of Big Bear Valley, confirming that both eaglets are female.
This revelation came after weeks of speculation about the eaglets’ gender. Despite being four days younger, Gizmo has outgrown her older sister in size, which is not uncommon in eagles. Both are currently around 12 weeks old, placing them squarely in the typical 10-14 week window when bald eaglets usually leave the nest, a process called fledging.
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Sunny’s recent hovering incident occurred as she perched on what observers call the “high perch” – a Y-shaped branch facing the lake. When the wind picked up shortly after 1 p.m., Sunny spread her wings and briefly caught air before being knocked back into the nest.
The eaglets’ parents, Jackie and Shadow, have become local celebrities since the nest camera was installed in 2015. The YouTube channel broadcasting their activities has grown to over 638,000 subscribers, with as many as 46,000 people watching simultaneously.
This marks a potential end to a three-year wait for a successful fledging from the Big Bear Lake nest. The last eaglet to successfully leave this nest was Spirit, who flew away on May 31, 2022.
Even after Sunny and Gizmo take their first flights away from the nest, they’re expected to remain in the area for one to two months, developing the hunting and survival skills necessary for independence. Eventually, they’ll establish their own territories, potentially hundreds or thousands of miles from Big Bear.
Both eaglets won’t develop the iconic white head feathers that bald eagles are known for until they reach 4-5 years of age. Until then, they’ll continue their development under the watchful eyes of their parents and thousands of online fans who have become emotionally invested in their journey.
“I think what draws people is that nature is fascinating, and most of us haven’t really had the chance to sit and study it,” Steers explained. “It connects people with themselves and their emotions.”
